Björn Ulvaeus Teams Up with AI for New Musical Project

ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus is embracing the digital age by collaborating with artificial intelligence to craft a new musical.

Speaking at SXSW London, the 80-year-old music legend revealed he's about three-quarters through writing the show, using AI as a creative partner.

While Ulvaeus acknowledges that AI struggles with generating complete songs and quality lyrics, he finds it invaluable for overcoming writer's block. "You can prompt a lyric you've written about something, and you're stuck maybe, and you want this song to be in a certain style," he explained. "You can ask it, how would you extend? Where would you go from here? It usually comes out with garbage, but sometimes there is something in it that gives you another idea."

 

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This isn't Ulvaeus's first foray into blending music with technology. He previously co-created "ABBA Voyage," a groundbreaking concert experience featuring digital avatars of the band performing alongside a live band in a custom-built London venue.

Despite ongoing debates in the music industry about AI's impact on creativity and copyright, Ulvaeus views the technology as a collaborative tool rather than a threat. "It's fantastic. It is such a great tool," he said. "It is like having another songwriter in the room with a huge reference frame."

As the musical world continues to navigate the intersection of artistry and artificial intelligence, Ulvaeus's innovative approach exemplifies how technology can complement human creativity.