In Partnership with
March 20, 2026
As the programme for IMS Ibiza 2026 continues to take shape, this week’s focus turns to one of the most significant shifts currently impacting the music industry: artificial intelligence.
Already influencing how music is created, distributed and experienced, AI is no longer a future-facing concept. It is actively reshaping workflows, rights structures and the relationship between artists and audiences. At IMS Ibiza, in partnership with AlphaTheta, a new wave of sessions will explore what this looks like in practice.
From questions around authenticity and ownership to new commercial models and creative frameworks, these talks bring together artists, founders and industry leaders navigating the realities of AI in music today.
Maria Garrido, Chief Marketing Officer at Deezer, will deliver a keynote addressing how AI is reshaping fan perceptions of authenticity. As synthetic content becomes more prevalent, the definition of what feels “real” is shifting. This session will look at how platforms, artists and audiences are responding, and what this means for trust, identity and long-term engagement in music.
AI is no longer knocking at the door of electronic music; it is inside the room, reshaping how music is made, discovered, and monetised. From studios to stages, generative tools are accelerating creativity while challenging ideas of authorship and ownership. As capabilities grow, moral questions intensify. Where must the lines be drawn, and what values should govern its use consciously to ensure our culture remains driven by people, and not machines.
Featuring speakers:
Aly Gillani, Artist & Label Relations Lead, Bandcamp
Declan McGlynn, Chief Creative Officer, Voice-Swap
Maria Garrido, Chief Marketing Officer, Deezer
Mathame (Matteo Giovanelli), Artist
Moderated by Jay Ahern, Chief Strategy Officer, AFEM: Association for Electronic Music
A $200 billion AI industry exists, yet no cultural rituals exist to make sense of it. While discussions remain focused on regulation and technological capability, Mathame has created a living, touring mythology that transforms our relationship with Artificial Intelligence into a shared, physical experience – one that shows coexistence is not only possible, but essential. The project is called NEO: the first large-scale AI awareness vehicle, operating at the very heart of entertainment.
Featuring Italian siblings Matteo Giovanelli (Mathame) and Riccardo Giovanelli, Head of R&D, MHA.
Generative AI is already changing how music is created, used and monetised. Building on the AFEM AI Principles and the Berlin AI Think Tank, this talk by Ralph Böege, CEO & Founder of Paradise Worldwide, explores how the industry is moving toward scientifically grounded, real-world licensing frameworks that support innovation while protecting creators and rightsholders. AIxchange introduces a consent-based approach to licensing recordings, compositions and metadata for AI use, grounded in transparency, attribution and fair compensation, unlocking new revenue opportunities while keeping creators at the centre of the value chain.
For the first time in music history, an artist’s voice itself can become a licensable asset. As AI voice moves from viral experiments to real commercial infrastructure, the industry faces new questions around ownership, consent, and revenue. In this session, Voice-Swap's Chief Creative Officer Declan McGlynn will explore how voice models are reshaping music rights, and how artists and labels can protect, control, and monetise their voices through Voice-Swap’s web platform, VST/AU plugin, text-to-speech service, and API.
Across these sessions, a clear theme emerges: AI is not just a technical shift, but a structural one.
For artists, it introduces new creative possibilities alongside new risks. For the industry, it requires updated frameworks around rights, revenue and regulation. And for audiences, it raises fundamental questions about authenticity and connection.
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