According to 9to5Mac, Apple Music co-lead Ole Obermann spoke yesterday at the Web Summit event in Lisbon alongside Dutch DJ and producer Armin van Buuren. The discussion focused on how technology is reshaping music, from streaming’s rise to AI’s growing role in production. Obermann, who previously attended as a ByteDance executive, declared that “there is a golden era ahead of us” with technology enabling broader access and deeper artist-fan connections. Van Buuren revealed he’s already using AI tools, including converting a male singer’s voice to female using AI. Both emphasized that technology shouldn’t replace human creativity and authenticity, with van Buuren specifically praising Apple Music’s Spatial Audio technology for enhancing his new album Piano.
The AI music revolution is already here
So van Buuren is already using AI for voice conversion in his actual productions. That’s not some theoretical future scenario – it’s happening right now in professional studios. The fact that a mainstream electronic artist is openly discussing using AI tools tells you everything about how quickly this technology is being adopted. Basically, we’ve moved from “AI might change music” to “AI is changing music today.”
But here’s the thing – both Obermann and van Buuren immediately followed their AI enthusiasm with warnings about not leaning too heavily on technology. That’s the real tension here. Everyone wants the efficiency and creative possibilities AI offers, but nobody wants music that sounds like it was made by algorithms. The human element still matters, apparently even when you’re using AI to transform voices.
Why Spatial Audio keeps coming up
It’s interesting that van Buuren specifically called out Apple Music’s Spatial Audio as enhancing his Piano album. That’s not accidental – Apple has been pushing Spatial Audio hard as a differentiator against Spotify and other streaming services. When a major artist validates that the technology actually improves the listening experience, that’s marketing gold.
What’s clever about Apple’s approach is they’re not just selling AI tools – they’re selling better sound quality through formats like Spatial Audio. While everyone’s distracted by the AI conversation, Apple is building a quality moat around their music service. And honestly, for classical and electronic music especially, the immersive audio experience really does make a difference.
The human element isn’t going anywhere
Both executives kept returning to the importance of human connection in music. Obermann stressed it, van Buuren emphasized it – there’s clearly industry consensus that technology should enhance rather than replace human creativity. But isn’t that what people always say during technological transitions?
Look, the reality is that AI tools are becoming as fundamental to music production as synthesizers or digital audio workstations became in previous decades. The question isn’t whether artists will use AI – they already are. The real question is whether listeners will care if their favorite song used AI voice conversion or melody generation. My guess? Most won’t, as long as the final product moves them emotionally.
What’s fascinating is watching how companies like Apple navigate this transition. They’re clearly investing in AI – you don’t hire executives like Obermann without that focus – but they’re also building services like Apple Music that emphasize human curation and high-quality audio. It’s a balancing act between embracing new technology while maintaining what makes music feel, well, human.
