At the heart of Berlin’s cultural‑creative economy is a thriving industry, with companies that manufacture instruments, design futuristic music software and release countless cutting-edge records. As AI increasingly enters the creative process, it’s reshaping the music scene in real time. This year, conferences like WISE and Music Frontiers have cemented the city’s reputation as a hotspot where industry leaders explore the future of artificial intelligence in music. Tech innovators such as Ableton and Native Instruments push the boundaries of what’s possible, while labels like Universal and BPitch Control discover and elevate new talent. But what happens when AI can generate music, sounds and songs – essentially doing the work that music creatives are currently doing?
At present, two next-gen AI music platforms – Suno and Udio – are leading the charge. Powered by large language models, they let anyone generate a song with a few simple commands: no technical expertise required. But while these tools promise to make music creation more accessible, it has not been straightforward. Last year, Universal, Sony and Warner Music filed a lawsuit against both companies, alleging the platforms trained their models on copyrighted recordings without permission. The labels are seeking up to $150,000 in damages for each song involved – the potential liability could soar into the billions.
In the summer of last year, an AI-generated song officially slipped into the German Top 50. The single ‘Verknallt in einen Talahon’ (Crush on a Talahon) made headlines – not just for its AI origins, but for its controversial content. The word ‘Talahon’ is tied to a social media trend that perpetuates stereotypes about young men from migrant backgrounds. This track was just one of a growing wave of AI-generated songs entering mainstream charts.
AI tools are not solely here to take away the roles of musicians. Berlin-based artist and composer Holly Herndon and her partner, Mathew Dryhurst, released a custom AI voice model called Holly+, built around her own vocals. Berlin is also home to Endel, a AI music generative platform that creates personalised, functional music based on your day-to-day activities. Beyond just making music, there are companies such as Skoove, an AI-assisted learning programme that teaches you how to play piano, and seeqnc, an AI music recognition company that helps artists get paid.
Last year, an AI-generated song officially slipped into the German Top 50.
Even though the way music is made will change, Berliners will always want to party, watch bands and listen to DJs. While we’re still far away from seeing robots behind the decks, AI tools have been creeping their way into the clubs. Rekordbox, Pioneer’s digital music software, recently incorporated an AI tool to help DJs find and curate songs for their sets. There’s even AI software available to help DJs mix their tracks whilst playing.
These new tools will help more people produce, release and perform music in the long run. (If you thought that Berlin already had too many DJs, wait and see what happens in a few years time). With new and innovative AI companies and services starting up in Berlin, the adoption of AI may offer new opportunities for the city; who benefits from those opportunities remains to be seen. The impact of AI on the music world in Berlin might be uncertain, but it’s definitely going to be interesting.
