Berklee and Audio Engineering Society to Host Symposium on AI in Music

Berklee College of Music and the Audio Engineering Society (AES) presents the first-ever AES International Symposium on AI and the Musician, a two-day forum that will bring together artists, producers, engineers, educators, legal experts, and developers to explore the most relevant issues related to the use of artificial intelligence in music. The symposium will take place from June 6–8 at various locations on Berklee’s Boston campus.

The inaugural event seeks to foster an exchange of ideas incorporating perspectives on AI from the music, technical, and business communities. Sessions will include a comprehensive mix of topics including: intellectual property rights; recent advancements in AI tools for music production; the implementation of AI in arts education; composer-centric AI music generation in studio and performance settings; and ethical challenges posed by AI to musicians and sound artists. The program will also incorporate keynote speeches, panel discussions, presentations of submitted compositions, and interactive demonstrations of the latest technology.

“The core motivation for this symposium draws from a long relationship with music-making and music production, where technology serves to augment expressive possibilities and the creative process,” said event organizer Jonathan Wyner, a music production and engineering professor at Berklee and former president of AES. “With the lightning-fast rate at which AI applications continue to evolve, it’s essential for musicians, educators, developers, and all stakeholders in the creative economy to engage on these complicated issues in a meaningful, ongoing dialogue.”

Composer Tod Machover and research scientist and technologist Anna Huang are the symposium's keynote speakers. Noted as "America’s most wired composer" by the Los Angeles Times and "a musical visionary" by the New York Times, Machover will take an in-depth look at how AI technology is becoming a valuable resource for musicians to uncover and unlock human potential in a variety of contexts. Huang—a judge and organizer of the AI Song Contest who will join the Massachusetts Institute of Technology faculty in fall 2024—will discuss recent advancements in generative AI modeling that have opened up possibilities for human–AI collaboration in composition and performance.

Other presenters include intellectual property and technology lawyer Emily Tait, who will delve into copyright laws as they relates to generative AI; Northwestern professor Bryan Pardo, who will examine the use of AI techniques in sonic art; and several Berklee faculty members who both create and teach with AI, including Akito van Troyer (electronic production and design), Ben Camp (songwriting), Mark Simos (songwriting), and Carlos Arana (music business and production for Berklee Online).

"AES is proud to host this symposium with the world-renowned Berklee College of Music,” said AES President Leslie Gaston-Bird. “The talent and creativity that come out of this institution, combined with the networking power and ingenuity of the AES, will be a catalyst for an unforgettable 2024 symposium. Don't miss it!"

The 2024 AES International Symposium on AI and the Musician is sponsored by Suno and Kits AI. Registration is open with a discounted rate available for AES student members. This is a limited-capacity event. For more information and for a full schedule of events, visit the symposium home page on the Audio Engineering Society website.

About AES

The Audio Engineering Society (AES) is the leading professional association worldwide for audio professionals and enthusiasts. For more than 75 years, the AES has been at the forefront of audio technology and innovation, providing a platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and industry collaboration.