Music, Media, AI, and the Future of Co-Creation

This post was created in partnership with Napster

 Key takeaways

• It’s more important than ever for brands and creators to own their data.
• Artists and brands should be transparent and authentic in their use of AI.
• The next evolution of AI will be immersive experiences.

Across media and music, AI-driven platforms elevate engagement from passive consumption to active co-creation. The convergence of agentic AI and immersive technologies is reshaping how brands, creators, and artists engage with their communities.

During an ADWEEK House Cannes Lions Group Chat co-hosted with Napster, a panel of tech innovators, brand leaders, and culture makers explored building resilient, impactful communities through immersive AI.

(L-R) BET+’s Jason Harvey, Prorata.ai’s Annelies Jansen, Sprout Social’s Layla Revis

The importance of owning data in the AI era

John Acunto, co-founder and CEO at Napster, opened by sharing the recent news of Infinite Reality’s rebrand as Napster and its new focus on data.

“We’ve created a platform for artists, businesses, and creators to own their data. To create a funnel for them to think about how we capture that data, using social, music, commerce,” Acunto shared. “In the age of AI, it’s a very scary thing to think that you won’t own your data.”

Acunto views the new evolution of Napster as a disruptive force because there is no other business model like it. The future of Napster will be focused on making 2D websites immersive with AI, even for businesses with limited budgets and expertise.

“AI is about being really good at data,” Acunto explained. “Our platform allows you to start owning it because you own the site, you own the AI, and you’re able to start ingesting it.”

(L-R) Kurieo Media’s Devin Lars, Stagwell’s Shannon Pruitt

Ownership and attribution are critical when training AI algorithms, Layla Revis, VP of marketing at Sprout Social, added. “I think if you’re training the algorithms on your own music, then you have a lot less risk,” said Revis. “But if you’re using in the vein of another or a certain style, that’s when it gets tricky.”

Annelies Jansen, chief brand officer at Prorata.ai, a search and adtech company that analyzes and attributes sources of Gen AI answers, emphasized the importance of respect for original content. “We believe it’s super important to drive economic growth for the industry, where you can thrive and be in control,” she said.

(L-R) Napster’s John Acunto, Havas’ Damien Escobar, Harbourview Equity Partners and The Cultureshaker’s Lucinda Martinez, Napster’s Sam Huber

Balancing AI and authenticity

The panel discussed how AI has shifted the role of the artist from a creator to a collaborator.

“The thing that AI does not have is soul. You can’t replace soul, but what you can do is invite it in to collaborate with as a partner,” said Damien Escobar, global chief music officer at Havas. “We look at it as having an extra pair of hands in a room.”

(L-R) Kurieo Media’s Devin Lars, Stagwell’s Shannon Pruitt

Shannon Pruitt, Global CMO of brand and performance network at Stagwell, emphasized the need for authenticity in customer experience when artists and brands collaborate with AI. “They will call you out if they don’t believe that it’s authentic,” Pruitt said.

Jason Harvey, EVP at BET+, also mentioned authenticity and its role in the streaming service’s success. “We’re transparent about what we do with our data, and we stick to our vision and our purpose,” Harvey explained. “All our AI that we’ve implemented is around that same purpose, which is to cultivate and celebrate Black storytelling, and they see that, and it’s consistent. I think it’s consistency that is the key for authenticity.”

(L-R) Harbourview Equity Partners and The Cultureshaker’s Lucinda Martinez, Napster’s Sam Huber

The future of immersive experiences

Devin Lars, founder and president of Kurieo Media, discussed how brands could partner with or have their own influencer creators to establish deeper connections with their audiences. “There will definitely be more in-person experiences in real life and coming offline,” Lars said. “I think it’s going to become the value.”

Building on that point of prioritizing experiences, Lucinda Martinez, CMO at Harbourview Equity Partners and founder of The Cultureshaker, added, “If you look at consumer trends right now, this next generation is putting everything, all their resources, on experiences. They’re not buying houses. They’re not buying cars. It’s experience.”

Adding his perspective about the future with AI and immersive experiences, Sam Huber, global president, enterprise and CEO, MENA at Napster, shared, “It applies to music, where you can create amazing experiences for fans, and fans can interact with the artist, which might be partially AI-driven, partially a real presence, but at the end of the day, it’s all about creating unforgettable experiences.”

Featured Conversation Leaders

• John Acunto, Co-Founder and CEO, Napster
• Damien Escobar, Global Chief Music Officer, Havas
• Jason Harvey, EVP, BET+
• Sam Huber, Global President, Enterprise and CEO, MENA, Napster
• Annelies Jansen, Chief Brand Officer, Prorata.ai
• Devin Lars, Founder and President, Kurieo Media
• Lucinda Martinez, CMO, Harbourview Equity Partners and Founder, The Cultureshaker
• Shannon Pruitt, Global CMO, Brand and Performance Network, Stagwell
• Layla Revis, VP, Marketing, Sprout Social
• Rebecca Stewart, Brand Editor, ADWEEK