Something big is happening in music right now, and AI is playing a part in it. In the world of visual art, there was a moment—starting in the 1960s—when artists began focusing more on ideas than on technique. That’s when conceptual art took off. Artists didn’t need to be expert painters or sculptors anymore. What mattered was the message, the concept, the vision. Craft still mattered, but it wasn’t the main thing.
The same shift is now happening in music. With generative AI tools, more people can make music without needing years of training. They can experiment with sounds, build compositions, and shape musical experiences using software—even if they don’t read sheet music or play an instrument.
This doesn’t mean that craftsmanship is no longer valuable. Skilled composers and performers still bring something unique and irreplaceable. But now, someone with a strong idea can also make an impact, even if they rely on AI to help realize that idea. We’re entering a new phase of music-making, where creativity and concept are becoming just as important as technique.
We’re already seeing this in the way artists are working. They’re teaming up with coders, data scientists, and AI experts to explore new sounds and structures. The creative team now includes people who might never have been part of the music world before. And that’s changing what music is—and who gets to make it.