Students Learn to Mix Human Beats with AI at Berklee

The music world is changing fast. New computer programs can write songs, mix tracks and even suggest new ideas for musicians. At Berklee College of Music in Boston, a special lab is letting students test these tools and think about what it means for their future careers. The lab, called the Emerging Artistic Technology Lab, is a hub where students try out AI software and learn how it fits into the music industry. The director says the goal is to prepare musicians for jobs that may not even exist yet, because technology keeps pushing the industry forward. One freshman, Sean Zielinski, uses a program from an AI startup called Suno. With just a few words, he can get the skeleton of a song—choosing styles like hyper‑pop or digital rap. Suno has millions of users and wants to grow its team, but it also faces legal challenges from big record labels. Last fall the company reached a deal that lets users create music with voices from Warner Music artists.

Zielinski says AI is not a replacement for people. “It’s just a new way to change my workflow and spark fresh ideas, ” he says. He is taking a course on AI in music production, taught by Professor Jonathan Wyner. Wyner starts classes not with how to use software but with questions about ethics and values. “When you play an instrument, you don’t usually think about the deeper meaning of a note, ” he explains. “Now we have to ask what we do with these new tools. ” He believes that understanding the impact of AI is as important as learning how to use it. Berklee will host an AI Music Summit from June 3‑5. The event will feature talks, demos and live performances to discuss the big questions about creativity, ownership and control in a world where computers can write music.

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