ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus continues to embrace groundbreaking expertise. In response to Selection, the Swedish hitmaker revealed he’s writing a brand new musical with the help of AI throughout a chat held at SXSW London on Wednesday, June 4th.
“Proper now, I’m writing a musical, assisted by AI,” Ulvaeus stated in the course of the chat, including that he was “three-quarters” of the best way by way of the inventive course of. The presently untitled mission serves because the follow-up to the group’s revolutionary hologram-based “ABBA Voyage” live performance sequence.
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Ulvaeus continued by elaborating on how AI can bolster the songwriting course of: “It’s such a terrific device. It’s like having one other songwriter within the room with an enormous reference body. It’s actually an extension of your thoughts. You’ve entry to issues that you just didn’t consider earlier than.”
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Nonetheless, Ulvaeus additionally acknowledged the present limitations of AI, stating that it’s “awful at [writing a whole song]” and “very dangerous at lyrics.” As such, he believes the expertise primarily shines in helping artists to interrupt by way of author’s block.
“You possibly can immediate a lyric you have got written about one thing, and also you’re caught perhaps, and also you need this track to be in a sure model,” he defined. “You possibly can ask it, how would you prolong? The place would you go from right here? It often comes out with rubbish, however typically there’s something in it that provides you one other concept.”
This embrace of AI comes with warning, as Ulvaeus is president of the Worldwide Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), which printed a research in December 2024 suggesting that music creators may lose practically 1 / 4 of their earnings to AI by 2028.
“AI has the facility to unlock new and thrilling alternatives — however we’ve to just accept that, if badly regulated, generative AI additionally has the facility to trigger nice injury to human creators, to their careers and livelihoods,” he stated on the time of the research’s launch. “This will likely be decided largely by the alternatives made by coverage makers… It’s important that we get these rules proper, shield creators’ rights and assist develop an AI setting that safeguards human creativity and tradition.”
Elsewhere in the course of the SXSW speak, Ulvaeus famous that he and fellow ABBA member Benny Andersson have been “at all times looking out” for “the most recent factor” to assist their inventive course of, from their first Mini Moog synthesizer to being early adopters of digital recording machines.
The AI-assisted musical is the most recent mission from Ulvaeus’ partnership with Pophouse Leisure, the corporate behind “ABBA Voyage.” The digital residency kicked off at London’s custom-built ABBA Area in 2022 and is scheduled to run by way of January 2026. Get tickets right here.