What if the songs we love and the artists behind them could finally be compensated fairly, across every platform, every play, and every country? In today’s episode, I sit down with Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange, to unpack how this music tech nonprofit is challenging the very foundations of how royalties are calculated and distributed.

Michael shares how SoundExchange, which has now distributed over $12 billion to artists and rights holders, is not just administering royalties but actively shaping the policies and technologies that govern the future of music. We explore their groundbreaking use of AI for fraud detection and royalty matching, as well as the advocacy behind the American Music Fairness Act, a long-overdue effort to ensure artists are paid for terrestrial radio plays, a right still denied in the US but granted nearly everywhere else.

The conversation turns toward the growing tension between innovation and creator protection in the age of generative AI.

Michael discusses how SoundExchange is balancing these forces by backing ethical standards like the Human Artistry Campaign and lobbying for policies that prioritize consent, credit, and compensation. He also touches on fascinating use cases for AI in music, such as voice localization, signature sound licensing, and even resurrecting voices of beloved artists like Randy Travis.

We also discuss SoundExchange’s vision for the future, one where its expertise in large-scale, data-driven payouts could help solve the thorny question of compensating artists whose works are used to train generative AI models. From indie musicians to global superstars, the impact of this work is vast, nuanced, and increasingly urgent.

So, how do we build a future where technology and creativity can coexist and both thrive? And who’s making sure the voices behind our favourite tracks aren’t lost in the noise of innovation?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Are we doing enough to protect artists in the digital era? Let me know

After meeting on the IT Press Tour, I enjoyed a conversation with Michael Wu, President and General Manager of Phison US, about the revolutionary advances in AI-enabled storage technology.

We begin by exploring Phison's AdaptivePlus platform and its integration with StoreOne's AI solution, making AI training more accessible and affordable for businesses. We also discuss the technical innovations behind their storage-based AI acceleration, including their new E28 controller and Pascari SSDs.

Finally, we discuss the future of AI workloads and how Phison's technology is preparing to handle models with up to 2 trillion parameters. This episode is packed with insights for IT leaders, business executives, and anyone interested in the intersection of storage technology and artificial intelligence.