Cities across the Southeast are adopting custom sonic branding systems and AI music tools to handle the volume of short-form video content needed for tourism and civic marketing, a shift that promises faster production but raises questions about artistic authenticity and fair compensation for local musicians. The Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau (ACVB) commissioned a sonic identity framework from Sixième Son, a France-based company, to solve a scaling problem, while South Fulton used Suno, an AI music generator, to create an official city anthem as part of a rebrand initiative.

Why Are Cities Struggling to Produce Content at Scale?

The ACVB faced a concrete operational challenge: producing 40 pieces of content per week, with roughly a quarter requiring original music beds. Licensing or commissioning music for each video became a bottleneck that limited their ability to expand video production. "We couldn't scale, so we were not producing many pieces of video content. And when we did, then we were trying to limit ourselves to free music," explained Andrew Wilson, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of the ACVB.

To address this, the bureau partnered with Sixième Son, which builds sonic identities for global brands like Samsung. Rather than generating random music, the system establishes a "sonic personality" for Atlanta, then allows editors to create variations that match specific video themes. Michaël Boumendil, founder of Sixième Son, emphasized that the approach differs from typical AI music generation. "The usual AI is a lot about stealing things from here and there. We don't do that. People in Atlanta are very serious, very respectful. They don't wanna steal anything from anybody," he stated.

How Does a Sonic Identity Framework Actually Work?

When Boumendil composed Atlanta's sonic personality, he considered the city as "a crossroads in terms of culture, in terms of food, in terms of sport, in terms of music". The resulting framework serves as a compositional guide rather than a generative AI tool. "This isn't about, hey, this is a song that defines Atlanta. This is an instruction manual that allows songwriters to write songs that will speak to Atlanta audiences," Wilson noted.

In practice, an editor can drop video clips into the system and select from a variety of music beds developed from the sonic identity to match the video's theme. For example, if a video features a Latino chef in Atlanta, the editor can pull a music bed that reflects both the sonic identity and the video's cultural context. This approach reduces time spent searching through sound libraries and eliminates the need to license or commission new music for every piece of content.

South Fulton took a different path, using Suno directly to create "Hey Twin, We Rise," an official city anthem composed by Cedric Young, a Westlake High School band director, as part of the city's rebrand.

What Do Local Musicians Think About These AI Tools?

The adoption of AI music systems has generated mixed reactions from Atlanta's music community. Eumir Gutierrez, known professionally as DJ EU and the official stadium DJ for Atlanta United FC, has created music for ACVB in the past, including "United We Roar," a track blending trap, reggaeton, hip hop, and salsa. He expressed concern about the broader trend but acknowledged a distinction between using AI as a tool versus using it to replace human creativity.

"When you have AI creating something, it's just creating out of words and direction, not real soul," said Gutierrez.

Eumir Gutierrez, Official Stadium DJ, Atlanta United FC

However, Gutierrez indicated he could support AI use in certain contexts, particularly when it serves as a production aid rather than a replacement for human artists. "I'm pro AI. So if the bureau used AI to streamline the business or they needed a quick bed and they didn't have the budget, but they took something that was created in a remix, as long as they take the original creator and give them the credit or the publishing, I think it's okay," he explained.

Gutierrez

How Cities Can Balance AI Tools With Local Artist Opportunities

• Maintain Openness to Human Contributors: The ACVB has signaled that "the door is open to anybody, really," suggesting future iterations of sonic branding systems could incorporate human-composed tracks alongside framework-based variations.
• Use AI for High-Volume, Time-Sensitive Needs: Deploy sonic identity systems to handle routine video beds and content scaling, while reserving signature compositions and flagship projects for human artists and local musicians.
• Ensure Transparent Attribution and Compensation: When AI-generated or framework-based music is used, clearly credit original creators and provide publishing rights, maintaining community trust and supporting local artists financially.
• Engage HBCU Bands and Local Talent: Actively recruit musicians from historically Black colleges and universities and local artists to contribute to sonic branding projects, using AI as a tool to expand creative opportunities rather than eliminate them.

What Distinguishes Sonic Branding From AI Music Generation?

The distinction between Sixième Son's sonic identity approach and broader AI music generation tools like Suno is significant. A sonic identity framework establishes a set of musical principles and characteristics that reflect a city's culture, then guides human songwriters or provides templates for editors to create variations. This differs from generative AI music tools, which create compositions from scratch based on text prompts or parameters.

Boumendil emphasized that Sixième Son's system respects existing creative work and cultural integrity. The framework includes specific instrumental choices, like "the trumpet that was played by humans," ensuring that the sonic identity is grounded in authentic musical performance rather than algorithmic synthesis.

Boumendil

As AI music generation tools become more accessible to municipal governments and tourism boards, the question of how to balance efficiency with artistic integrity will likely shape how cities approach sonic branding in the coming years. The experiences of Atlanta and South Fulton offer early lessons in both the potential and the pitfalls of this technology, demonstrating that there are multiple pathways for cities to adopt AI-assisted music systems while still creating space for local artists and human creativity.