Back The MTG launches a new project to identify the challenges and opportunities for AI and other emerging technologies in the music sector

The MTG launches a new project to identify the challenges and opportunities for AI and other emerging technologies in the music sector

The project “Challenges and Opportunities in Music Tech" aims to open a participatory debate, train and foster critical thinking about the impact of the emerging technologies in our interaction with music

06.09.2022

Imatge inicial

The processes of creating, disseminating, learning and listening to music are completely transformed by artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies. This transformation involves some challenges and also opportunities for the music sector, and also has an important impact on society and culture. In order to create solutions to support a fair and transparent digital transformation of the sector it is essential to understand the real needs of all relevant stakeholders. 

The Challenges and Opportunities in Music Tech project proposes an open discussion process involving the different agents (music industry professionals, music creators, listeners, music students, archivers, music tech developers…) to identify how the use of AI and other emerging technologies impact the whole music sector. This participation is very valuable to enrich the knowledge of researchers about the real needs of technology users.  At the same time, the project will propose solutions to support the creation of better music technology solutions.

On the other hand the project also aims to promote citizen participation in the reflection on the ethical aspects of artificial intelligence, with special attention to gender and cultural diversity. Although in recent years scientific developments have achieved great advances in AI that greatly facilitate our daily lives and help us in many specialized tasks, it is important that citizens can make informed use of technology and develop critical thinking about the impact it has on our lives. Citizens, as cultural consumers, must play a central role in a reflection process around the impact of AI, and the interaction between researchers and end users is essential to understand the needs of these users and develop useful and valuable technologies. 

Study on the challenges and opportunities of music tech for the sector

The first part of the project consists in a study to identify the real difficulties and needs of the sector. In September 2022 we are launching a questionnaire and conducting a series of interviews and work groups with different agents of the sector (professionals and users of technologies), to reflect, identify problems, and propose solutions to the challenges posed by the use of AI and other technologies in the different steps of the music creation-consumption pipeline. Our focus will be on: 'Music creation', 'Music listening', 'Sound and Music archives' and 'Music education'. 

The questionnaire is open to participation of anyone interested in contributing to any of these topics.  To participate access to: https://www.upf.edu/web/mtg/challenges-and-opportunities-in-music-tech

Open event to discuss about the impact of AI and other emerging technologies

In December 2022 we will have an open workshop with talks, discussion panels, demos and participatory activities aimed at different stakeholders at the music sector and the general audience to present the information gathered in the first action and raise awareness, train, and foster critical thinking around the use of AI and other emerging technologies in music. Through this event we want to promote the active participation of the professionals in the music sector and the general society in the debate about ethical aspects of music technologies and their impact in their daily interaction with music.

On the other hand, the event will have a focus on training and giving tools so that the participants can better understand how the technologies that influence their daily decisions are made, such as recommendation algorithms, and that they can exercise greater control and a more critical use of them.

The participants and details of the event will be announced soon.

Final publication

At the end of the project the MTG will release a publication based on the discussion and feedback from the different stakeholders, as well as some proposals to improve the creation of technologies that foster diversity and transparency making the technologies more focused to the sector’s needs.

The publication will be released publicly and it will be oriented to technology developers and policy makers, aimed at influencing the regulation of the music technology developments and their uses.

This project is supported by MusicAIRE initiative (funded by the European Union under Music Moves Europe program), and Ajuntament de Barcelona.

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