Stakeholder Engagement and Events
Overview of the sectoral events in Europe where the project has been discussed
WISE Conference | Berlin, Germany
15th of May 2024
Innovation4Live: The Impact of AI in the European Music Sector
with Johannes Everke (Managing Director at BDKV), Richard Kurka (Co-Founder & Head of Business Development at Aurismatic), Paul-Simon Geddis (International audiences and Partnerships Lead, Sónar+D) and Mathilde Neu (co-founder of Music Tech France)
Activities & Outcomes
The IMEMS project launched at WISE Festival in Berlin with a panel bringing together music professionals and tech innovators to explore early challenges in AI for live music. Discussions highlighted scenic AI experiments like STARTS, while noting issues of cost and replicability. The need for practical, accessible training in innovation — beyond AI alone — emerged as a key priority for live music teams. Lastly, the session addressed copyright and the unclear legal landscape around AI use, underscored by Aurismatic’s work on automated setlist monitoring.
The State of AI for the European MusicSector
with Philipp Grefer (founder of WISE - the Future Festival & Think Tank), Alex Stevens (founder of Bookr.fm / Founder & Music Advisor at Okalaka Agency) and Mathilde Neu (co-founder of Music Tech France).
Activities & Outcomes
- Market Permeability – As highlighted by Alex Stevens, bridging the gap between tech creators and live music professionals requires better communication and understanding. The sector still relies more on personal networks than data-driven decision-making.
- The Power of Data – Participants emphasized the need for an open-source concert database to support predictive tools and AI-driven recommendations, helping curators streamline tasks without replacing human roles.
Wallifornia Music Tech Summit | Liége, Belgium
10th of July 2024
Ekhoscenes Assemblée Générale |
Reims, France
1st of September 2024
Being Technologically Innovative: Exploring Live Performance Innovations with MusicTech
with Yvan Boudillet (cofounder of Music Tech Europe) and Mathilde Neu (cofounder of MusicTech France)
Activities & Outcomes
A key milestone for IMEMS was a session hosted by the French national union for the Live Music Sector, where we presented our work and gathered direct feedback from live producers. This dialogue shaped our report and highlighted three main challenges:
- Lack of interoperability between current tools and slow tech evolution
- Time constraints that limit team training and internal innovation
- High costs and setup times that make new live experiences hard to adopt and replicate
Innovation4Live: the impact of AI in the European Music Sector”
with Takayuki Suzuki (Managing Directeor of MusicTech Japan), Matthias Strobel (founder of MusicTech Germany), Philipp Grefer (founder of WISE - the Future Festival & Think Tank) and Mathilde Neu (co-founder of Music Tech France).
Activities & Outcomes
At SoAlive Music Conference, the IMEMS team engaged with a Balkan-based audience, gaining valuable regional perspectives. The conversation quickly centered on copyright, dataset training, and European legislation, revealing widespread concerns and misconceptions around AI in music. This highlighted the need to demystify AI and shift focus from generative AI fears to practical applications in live music. A comparative view with Asia, shared by MusicTech Japan’s Takayaki Suzuki, showed that while immersive tech is embraced more in Asia, AI productivity tools remain underdeveloped globally — with AI assistants emerging as a shared trend.
SoAlive Music Conference |
Sofia, Bulgaria
3rd of October 2024
Eurosonic ESNS | Groningen, Netherlands
17th - 18th of January 2025
Unveiling the Role of AI in Europe’s Live Music Sector
with Yvan Boudillet (co-founder Music Tech Europe), Jan Pauly (Community Manager Music Tech Belgium), Sean Bradford (Founder ORIGIN STØRIES), Philipp Grefer (CEO & Founder, WISE – The Future Festival & Think Tank). Moderatored by Femke Blok (Co-founder, Music Tech Netherlands).
Activities & Outcomes
This discussion focused on how AI is beginning to support booking, audience development, and operational processes. A call emerged for the sector to be more open to experimentation—especially in areas like audience experience, scenic creativity, and the measurement of diversity and inclusion.
Innovations Shaping the Future of Live Entertainment”
with Takayuki Suzuki (Managing Director, MusicTech Japan), Maiju Talvisto (Co-Director, Shesaidso) Stathis Mitskas (Co-founder, ComeTogether), Jos Feijen (Director, Effenaar). Moderated by Yvan Boudillet (Co-founder, Music Tech Europe)
Activities & Outcomes
This session focused on emerging technologies in live entertainment, with AI highlighted as a powerful tool for creating immersive, personalized experiences. Discussions reflected optimism around AI’s potential in audience engagement, creative staging, and diversity tracking, while stressing the importance of ethical and sustainable use. Participants emphasized the need for collaborative, practice-based experimentation and saw live music as a key testing ground for inclusive and responsible AI applications across the cultural sector.
Artificial Intelligence: Threat or Opportunity for Music?
with Nicolas Baudoin – President, Billboard France, Brice Homs – Songwriter, screenwriter, and novelist, Salim Jawad – Global Head of Creative Innovation, Believe, Michael Turbot – AI Lead, Sony AI, and Yvan Boudillet – Co-founder, Music Tech Europe. Moderated by Michel Zgarka – President & CEO, Hitlab.
Activities & Outcomes
We took part in a high-profile panel at MIDEM+, exploring the broader implications of AI in music, with a particular focus on generative AI and copyright. The discussions centered on generative AI, copyright, and the legal uncertainties surrounding authorship and ownership. While live performance was seen as a promising space for AI innovation—from creative tools to workflow automation—participants emphasized the need for sector-led experimentation. Establishing ethical standards and usage norms will be crucial, with the live music industry uniquely positioned to lead this effort through real-world testing and values-driven innovation.
MIDEM+ | Canne, France
31st of January 2025
