Music Industry Xplained course to deal with challenge of AI head on

Hot Press' upcoming Music Industry Xplained (M.I.X) course will deal with the challenge that AI brings to the music industry head on.

AI is the biggest threat yet to to the music industry. That is the startling view of many musicians and artists, as they seek to understand where the untrammelled use of Artificial Intelligence is likely to take us over the next five to ten years.

“If we fail to enforce copyright protections in the AI era, we risk undermining a sector worth €1 billion annually and the thousands of livelihoods it supports,” IRMA’s Head of Public Affairs and Communications, David Kitching, said last week, while lobbying for new legislation to deal with the use of AI in Ireland.

Given Ireland’s extraordinary record in producing music of real creative and commercial importance, there is a lot at stake here. The biggest issue for songwriters and composers is the threat that their works – along with other musical works and data – will be used to train machines to write the hit songs of the future, to soundtrack movies – and so on.

The position of IMRO (the Irish Music Rights Organisation, which represents songwriters, composers and music publishers) on this ‘training’ element is very clear. “There is no legal or moral excuse,” they say, “for the unlicenced access and exploitation of creators’ works for AI training, use or output… any utilisation of IMRO members’ works for text and data mining requires IMRO’s authorisation, unless otherwise stipulated by law.”

The increasingly concerted response from music industry organisations reflects a sense of growing unease among musicians and creatives that they may be sidelined completely.

“Some of the AI-created tracks are scary,” one leading songwriter told Hot Press recently. “Not that they have heart or soul. But there are extraordinary facsimiles out there, which could easily be passed off as the real thing – whether it is clones of Taylor Swift, Drake or Michael Bublé. I listened to them and thought: this really is the beginning of the end.”

While the challenge represented by AI may be enormously significant, the flip side is that the music industry has never shied away from the challenges presented by changes in technology.

But how should musicians, managers, publishers and record company executives respond?

This question, which goes to the heart of creativity, will be a major element in the 2026 Music Industry Explained Course (MIX 26) organised by Hot Press and set to run over 13 consecutive Tuesdays, beginning in April. The course is presented over Zoom, enabling participants to be involved from all over the world – or anywhere inIrelasnd – at a given time.

“The main challenge facing the Music Industry of the future,” Mark Hogan of MIX said, “is AI and its potential effect on creativity. But it will also have a huge impact on the practical workings of the industry. Music has shown remarkable resilience in the face of past innovations, transforming challenges into opportunities. We’ve asked our experts to consider the question: can the same be done here? This is a vital aspect of being prepared for working in the music space.”

The MIX uses a team of industry and media experts who base their reflections on their own lived experience, as well as informed analysis. Past lecturers have included Nick Seymour of Crowded House; music-biz lawyer, and manager of Moncrieff and Johnny McDaid of Snow Patrol, Willie Ryan; Tom Travis of Rough Trade Records; and leading author and agent, Paul Charles, who has worked with Van Morrison, Tom Waits, The Kinks, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Jackson Browne and The Waterboys, among many more leading artists.

The successes of a new generation of Irish artists abroad, including Fontaines D.C., CMAT, Amble, Kingfishr, Lankum, Kneecap and Lisa O’Neill has meant that international A&R departments and industry analysts alike are focusing on Ireland to see how – as a small nation – we can nurture such an impressive parade of top international acts, including Van Morrison, Rory Gallagher, Thin Lizzy, The Boomtown Rats, U2, Clannad, Enya, Sinead O’Connor, The Cranberries, The Script, Hozier, Riverdance, Fontaines D.C. – among many more.

“I think it is important not to panic,” lecturer Jackie Hayden said. “It seemed like a big deal at the time, but who now remembers the Home Taping is Killing Music campaign of the 1970s, brought about by the invention of the cassette recorder? The arrival of 24-hour music radio, file-sharing and illegal downloading were other perceived threats to both the industry and the welfare of artists. But these were confronted – and the industry survived and thrived. The aim will be for MIX to point students in the right direction going forward, so that the threat of AI can be seen off in the same way.”

At Hot Press, we know how competitive the music and entertainment industry can be. That's why we developed the ever-expanding Music Industry Xplained (M.I.X) course – delivered each year by the top specialists from the Irish and international music industries.

If you’re a musician, manager, promoter, booker, publicist, publisher, marketer, event manager, tech professional, tour manager, or social media manager – or are aspiring to be any of the above – M.I.X will provide the career pathway to progress in, and the networking opportunities to succeed in, the music industry.

M.I.X is a 12-week course (one evening each week) kicking off on April 14. The lectures take place on Tuesdays at 7.30pm via Zoom.​​​

Advance your music business or entertainment industry career with expert-led modules, real-world insights, and networking opportunities. Click here to sign up for this year's M.I.X course.

Topics covered include:

Releasing Music Independently
Selling Your Music Online
Dealing with Record Companies
Distributing your Music Effectively
Developing your Act as a Brand
Working with the Media
Making & Managing Your Artist's Money
Live Music & Touring
Promoting Gigs
Finance & Legal Issues
Working with Producers
Music Management
Generating Income from Songwriting
Getting Played on Radio
Publicity & New Approaches to Social Media