Spotify’s founder and CEO, Daniel Ek, says artificial intelligence (AI) won’t replace musicians. Instead, he believes AI will help more people create music.
There’s been some worry about AI-created songs. Some fear that fake artists made by AI could take over music playlists and push real musicians out.
Recently, a Swedish newspaper and a book called Mood Machine claimed Spotify was using AI to make thousands of songs under fake profiles. They said these songs ended up on Spotify’s playlists, which saved the company money by paying less than real artists would get.
Spotify denies these claims.
At an event at Spotify’s headquarters in Stockholm, Daniel Ek explained his view. “I’m mostly optimistic and very excited,” he said. “We’re just beginning to understand how AI will change creativity.”
Ek pointed out that music styles like electronic dance music and hip hop were once criticized as not “real music.” But now, they are loved worldwide. He asked, “What is music? And what will creativity look like with AI?”
He also talked about how music creation has become easier. “Mozart had to compose whole symphonies in his head,” Ek said. “Now, anyone can make a beat in five or ten minutes. The tools available today are amazing.”
While he admitted some uses of AI could be scary, Ek said the exciting part is how AI will give creative people new ways to express themselves. “The barriers for creating music are getting lower and lower. More people will create.”
Ek sees AI in music not as a big sudden change but as a natural step forward. “It’s more an evolution than a revolution.”
In short, Spotify’s CEO believes AI will help open the door for more musicians, not close it. It’s a new tool that can inspire creativity, not replace the heart of music — real human artists.
