Durrant Pate/Contributor

The Island Music Conference (IMC) 2024 now underway in Kingston is galvanising around the thought that artificial intelligence (AI) is fast-becoming the ‘God’ of the global music industry, whilst encouraging the local market to get onboard or be lost in the business.

In examining the role of AI in the music industry, under the theme “AI; Friend or Foe?” an esteemed panel at the conference on Wednesday (February 21) delved into the subject concluding that AI has become ubiquitous in the music industry and is here to stay, cautioning the local market to get on board or be lost in the ocean of music.

Bob Frank, entrepreneur and C-Level executive in the music and film business with over 30 years’ leadership and management experience, and Romanian Grammy-nominated producer Constantin “Costi” Ioniță, made a pitch for local stakeholders to become acquainted with AI and its impact on the industry, citing how transformational the technology has been on the global business.

Pitch to use the technology

Frank, who is the founder and CEO of Bob Frank Entertainment told the audience about Ozone and Audiobox AI In which artistes can use this technology and make any music sound like them, citing Flawless, which is another AI App that is being used in Hollywood to great advantage. He acknowledged that a lot of companies are creating AI applications, likewise artistes are using AI to help themselves. 

Frank made the point that ”from artiste to the music no part in the value chain that AI hasn’t revolutionise. AI is ubiquitous.” He cautioned, however, against the need for setting standards in the industry to regulate AI material stating that this is now being done. 

He listed AI applications like Ozone, which he said were “awesome”, admitting that his team uses the technology.

“There is going to be a lot of money thrown at it. That’s gonna be the next paradigm shift in how we gonna use that as the chip gets even smaller…. AI made my business more efficient but Is’ something have to watch…It’s have an incredible positive dealing with AI,” the over 30-year music veteran declared.

For his party Costi, as he is popularly called, is encouraging upcoming and budding musicians not to fear AI but to embrace the technology using it to their advantage. The producer for Shaggy and Spice chart topping single ‘Go Dung Deh‘ declared, “let’s have an open dialogue. AI gonna be the new God for music streams etc.”

AI fast aiding the global business

He told the audience at the Courtleigh Auditorium, where the conference has been taking place since Wednesday that music businesses have been sending he and his team to test these AI brands. Costi made the point that through AI individuals can become  better composer, artistes but is questioning who is programming the algorithm to these AI’s.”