In recent years, access to and adoption of incredibly powerful AI music tools by musicians has ballooned, as have the legal, professional, and creative questions surrounding them. Now more than ever, musicians need to know the effects of utilizing these tools, and what professional and ethical considerations they should make before deciding to use them. Voices from Music Publishing, A&R, tech, and education will break down the AI good, bad, and the ugly, providing an actionable framework of best practices when utilizing AI tools, allowing musicians to make their own informed decisions on AI.

Music and cars have always gone together, from favorite road trip albums to iconic singalongs in films like “Wayne’s World” and “Tommy Boy.” But how can drivers keep the music flowing without sacrificing safety? New in-car technology uses lyrics and metadata to make music easier and less distracting to control, while giving passengers lyric displays that ensure they never miss a word. In this panel, executives from the automobile, tech, and music industries will discuss how they are working together to make this possible and continue in-car music’s evolution.

This session will explore how termination rights, a provision in copyright law allowing artists to reclaim control of their recordings and compositions from labels and publishers, gave the estate of late singer-songwriter Isaac Hayes legal standing to sue President Donald Trump for using his hit song “Hold On, I’m Comin’” 134 times without permission. Panelists will explain the legal strategy behind this case, the specifics of copyright termination, and key deadlines that artists, rightsholders, and attorneys must meet in order to exercise their right to terminate.

A new label model is emerging between commercial music and production music: the wholly owned label. These companies create culturally relevant records while controlling both recording and publishing rights from day one. That structure supports fast clearance and stronger metadata, while opening more ways to earn royalties. This panel will examine why wholly owned labels are gaining traction, what infrastructure they require, and how they could reshape the independent music business.

News breaks daily about AI companies training on music with or without licensing deals in place, but few if any of those break down what AI music training looks like in practice. The ground truth: training isn’t a use, it’s an absorption, meaning models don’t retain catalog and constantly need to be retrained. This gives rightsholders considerable leverage in negotiations of how it’s used. In this presentation, AI Music pioneer Drew Silverstein breaks down the mysticism surrounding AI training, and provides rightsholders with a robust framework of how training works, and how it benefits them.

Technology is transforming music, but people remain its greatest advantage. High-performing companies don’t just hire talent, they design teams blending creativity, analytical thinking, and diverse perspectives to solve complex challenges. This session explores how forward-thinking leaders are rethinking culture, hiring, and collaboration to drive innovation. Panelists will share how cognitive diversity fuels creativity and better decision-making. Whether leading a startup or an established company, you’ll leave with actionable insights for building resilient, future-ready teams.

The label model is evolving. As streaming matures and music discovery becomes more fragmented, labels are rethinking how they identify opportunities, develop artists, and build lasting fan engagement. This panel brings together leaders in marketing, branding, creator strategy, DSP partnerships, and artist development to discuss how data and creativity work together to drive growth. Attendees will gain practical insights into artist development, audience strategy, catalog growth, and the future of label operations in today’s competitive music industry.