Artificial Intelligence has been the buzzword of the last couple of years. Still, aside from the odd story about ChatGPT and threats that it could take most of our jobs, there hasn’t been much in the news about how the technology will manifest into real-life changes and use cases that we can see daily.
For those of you who use music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, you’ll be aware of how their AI DJs are now one of the most well-used add-ons within their subscription service. But it’s not just AI DJs that are fuelling a lot of the transformations in the music listening experience; it’s also become a seminal role in several roles higher up the musical food chain, and today we’re going to see where this road is likely to take us over the next decade or so.
Recognizing The Importance Of Music
As the backdrop to our lives, music helps us channel memories, nostalgic or sad and is a great accompaniment for a long drive or a long haul journey. It permeates every avenue of entertainment, illuminating specific scenes in TV or music or driving the feel and action of an online casino slot game. This is an area of casino gaming that has leaned into the importance of music and is now an integral feature of its design.
Although music in film is a subject unto itself, with many books and documentaries written about it, the music we hear in slot gaming is perhaps the best indicator of how it’s used so effectively.
Many studies have shown that the music in a slot game can cultivate a particular emotion or mood, whether it’s hectic, relaxing, inquisitive, or regal. The music of a slot game is a way to set the overall mood. However, online slots don’t only rely on their soundtrack to get people to play their games.
It’s just one element of the more comprehensive package, with obvious other elements such as the quality of the game design, colors, and theme all playing significant roles, too. Like all forms of gaming, without the music, we would definitely miss it and the games would not have such depth. Perhaps AI music will even work its way into some of these games in the future.
Music in slots goes under the radar, and it’s certainly worth pointing out for those online casino slot gamers who perhaps overlook it when they’re flicking through slot games and deciding which one to play.
Spotify & Apple AI DJs
These companies have a duopoly at the top of the music-streaming industry. Spotify has taken the lead over the enormous American tech giant globally, but the US market is a lot closer, and Apple is continuing to make ground.
Some believe Apple’s AI DJ “Rad” has helped them gain a bit of an edge over Spotify. Although Spotify has an essentially identical service with its AI DJ Xavier, colloquially known as X – those who have used both often comment that Apple’s version is more in tune with their listening practice. However, some reviewers still prefer the Swedish streaming giant over the American tech juggernaut.
As somebody who uses Spotify’s AI DJ fairly often, it can blow hot and cold, string together five songs I haven’t heard for a decade, and then fire a few songs that are not to my taste. So, while it might not have the AI DJ down to a fine art just yet, it’s an idea that only came to fruition and continues expanding into fresh markets.
The success of both has shown that AI creating your radio station is a market worth exploring. While many believe that radio will be on its way out, and that’s not quite the case at the moment, the emergence of AI DJ will be another unwelcome headache for those in the radio business who feel that this technology is continuing to breathe down their neck.
Other Elements Of Music
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has just broken all sorts of live-music records, showing that the market for a pop megastar is as healthy as ever. This is despite AI now being able to create music, including lyrics, beats, and riffs, almost entirely from scratch.
Electronic music has emerged over the years, and with other artists using loop tracks and other types of repetitive recording devices since the 1970s, it feels like it’s reaching a natural conclusion. AI’s ability to essentially write and record its own album is still mesmerizing and terrifying in equal measure. It feels like we’re only a year or two off an “AI musician” becoming a chart success, and then we’re really in unchartered terrain.
Final Thoughts
There’s always going to be a market for human-written music. Ten years ago, that sentence would’ve got you a few funny looks, but as creatives battle with the tidal wave of AI every day. Whether they’re in music, writing, comedy, or even graphic design doesn’t matter.
AI has advanced to such a monumental level that it could soon wipe out large chunks of these industries. It’s a scary thought, and perhaps those in music have to take a step back and see whether the transformation is worth it in the long run, but there’s no denying just how mind-blowingly innovative the technology is.
