tech

April 29, 2026

‘It will never cover what’s authentic’: African music industry weighs up AI risks and rewards

Delegates at event in Cape Verde highlight opportunities from tech while stressing AI is no replacement for talent

‘It will never cover what’s authentic’: African music industry weighs up AI risks and rewards

TL;DR

  • African music markets are vulnerable to AI-generated music due to weak intellectual property laws.
  • South Africa withdrew its draft AI policy due to AI-generated citations.
  • The Atlantic Music Expo in Cape Verde focused on how artists can use AI without losing human identity and creativity.
  • Cape Verde's culture minister aims to make the nation a cultural hub, supporting local artists financially.
  • AI tools can help indie artists with limited budgets compete globally in mixing, mastering, and marketing.
  • Startups like Sona are developing AI that preserves local music uniqueness rather than homogenizing it.
  • Artists emphasized that AI can complement production but cannot substitute the emotion and connection of live performance.

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