Berklee College of Music is hosting a three-day AI Music Summit in June 2026 designed to ensure musicians shape the future of AI tools rather than simply react to them. The event brings together musicians, technologists, researchers, educators, and legal experts to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping music creation, production, performance, and education. Rather than treating AI as something happening to the music industry, the summit positions creative professionals as active participants in defining how these technologies develop and integrate into everyday practice.

Why Are Musicians Demanding a Voice in AI Music Development?

The urgency behind this summit reflects a fundamental shift in how the music industry views AI. Creative practice is already changing inside writing rooms, studios, and classrooms, yet many musicians feel excluded from the conversations shaping these tools. The Berklee Emerging Artistic Technology Lab (BEATL), which hosts the summit, recognizes that the speed of innovation demands immediate attention from educators and music professionals.

"AIMS is built around the idea that musicians should have a voice shaping new technologies and not just responding to them," explained Jonathan Wyner, BEATL's head of artistic technology and the former AES (Audio Engineering Society) president.

Jonathan Wyner, Head of Artistic Technology at Berklee Emerging Artistic Technology Lab

Mark Ethier, executive director of BEATL, added that the moment demands critical examination of how rapidly evolving technologies affect the industry. The summit, officially called AIMS (AI Music Summit), will take place June 3-5, 2026, on Berklee's Boston campus, with a hackathon following on June 6-7.

What Topics Will the Summit Cover?

The three-day gathering will explore multiple dimensions of AI's impact on music, moving beyond technical capabilities to address authorship, consent, ethics, and the legal frameworks shaping the industry. The programming includes applied workshops, research presentations, industry panels, live demonstrations, pedagogy sessions, and an evening concert featuring performances by Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess, experimental artist L'Rain, and Berklee students.

The keynote speakers represent diverse perspectives on AI and music. Holly Herndon, a musician and AI-art pioneer, will explore new authorship and consent in AI-generated media. Dr. Martin Clancy, founder of AI:OK, will examine ethics and how AI is reshaping the definition of musicianship. The summit will also feature a conversation between music industry strategist and Berklee professor Drew Thurlow and Emmy-winning composer Lucas Cantor Santiago on creativity, authorship, and industry transformation.

How to Engage With AI Music Development as a Musician or Educator

• Attend Industry Panels: Participate in sessions led by legal experts like Elizabeth Moody from Granderson Des Rochers, LLP, and Carletta Higginson of Warner Music Group, who are shaping the deals and legal frameworks governing AI's impact on music.
• Join the Hackathon: Collaborate with technologists and fellow musicians during the June 6-7 hackathon in partnership with Music Hackspace to explore emerging tools and creative practices firsthand.
• Participate in Applied Workshops: Engage with hands-on sessions that demonstrate how AI tools are entering everyday creative workflows, with an emphasis on practical applications and artist impact.
• Explore Research Presentations: Learn about the newest developments in AI and music from innovators sharing emerging technologies and creative practices that are reshaping the industry.

The summit brings together leading voices from companies and institutions actively shaping music technology. Participants include representatives from Adobe, Google, MIT Media Lab, Splice, Ableton, Suno, Sony AI, Warner Music Group, iZotope, Native Instruments, Moises, ElevenLabs, and Universal Audio. This concentration of industry players signals that the conversation about AI and music is moving from theoretical to practical.

"What makes this moment important is not just the speed of innovation, but the fact that creative practice is already changing inside writing rooms, studios, and classrooms. As educators and music professionals, it's our responsibility to drive conversations and take a critical look at how rapidly evolving technologies are affecting our industry," stated Mark Ethier, executive director of BEATL.

Mark Ethier, Executive Director of Berklee Emerging Artistic Technology Lab

The summit's focus on ethics and legal frameworks reflects growing concerns about how AI-generated music affects artists' rights, compensation, and creative control. By centering musicians in these discussions rather than treating them as passive observers, Berklee is positioning the event as a model for how the music industry can proactively shape AI development. The three-day format allows for both high-level strategic conversations and hands-on exploration of tools and workflows that musicians are already using or will encounter in their careers.

For musicians, educators, and industry professionals interested in understanding how AI will reshape their work, the summit offers a rare opportunity to engage directly with the technologists, legal experts, and creative pioneers defining the future of music. The event signals that the conversation about AI in music is no longer about whether these tools will matter, but how the creative community can ensure they develop in ways that respect artistry, ethics, and the rights of musicians.