Following the RPO’s 2026 audience report, which explored people’s attitudes to AI in music, Vasily Petrenko reflects on the impact of AI on society and music – and the skills needed for creatives to succeed in a changing world.
“It is currently a very tough environment for young people who are finishing their studies in Further or Higher Education. With the advent of AI, it is difficult to predict what the world of work will look like in 10, five – maybe even in two years’ time. The pace of change is rapid – although with music it’s slightly behind other industry sectors because art – by virtue of being art – is something that is very difficult, if possible at all, to fully replace with AI. Yes, AI is present in many aspects of music, but it is the human imperfection of art that makes it something AI can cannot fully challenge, because AI is largely about emulation at speed and it doesn’t think for itself – or, at least, not yet.
“So, for young musicians, there are still options to join orchestras and smaller ensembles, to work in creative roles and to secure positions with companies operating in the arts sector. But I think the competition is going to become much fiercer than it used to be – as AI creates a workplace that will be partly human and partly digital.
“In terms the audience, there is an AI impact on their engagement with music because, with time, fewer and fewer people will have sufficient budgets to allow them to attend concerts or festivals – to buy tickets, or to purchase recordings and downloads. That will also affect the number of concerts, or recordings which orchestras or creative companies can produce, so it starts to affect us in an indirect way at first. A lot of people in the music industry have focused on the impact of AI on them – in terms of royalties, jobs and copyright. The elephant in the room is that AI affects everyone and the real impact for musicians may be whether they will still have a ticket-buying concert audience to perform to. In some respects, the true impact of AI on musicians may be driven by the impact it first has on the audience, because that is the thing that could fundamentally change business models of organisations.
“Whilst this may sound bleak or soberingly realistic – depending on your point of view – I think there are two key areas of opportunity for creatives and musicians to focus on.
The first is, you still need to consider that you have to give everything you can for the sake of your dream. So, you have to work hard and even harder than before, and you have to be ready to try as many things within your profession as possible. And the second point is that you have to be adaptable – more than ever before. It’s quite possible that, in the future, life skills in adaptability – an innate willingness to change and to shift your direction, your profession completely from one side to another – will be one of the most decisive factors for professional success in the future. We are coming to the time when factual knowledge from an education will not be as valued as it used to be in past centuries. We are approaching a new era when adaptability and the ability to quickly grasp opportunities will be the drivers of success. A time for opportunists and a time for people with wider knowledge is coming, because specific knowledge will be gained and replicated through machines, through AI or maybe even through your headphones. So, because of this, developing skills in adaptability in the world will almost become the new form of education. I think you will have to you look more broadly into what you do, and you will also have to learn how to harness and work with the modern technologies.
“People who learn to understand the abilities of AI with a sense of how they, personally, can use it will have far more options and benefits. There’s that famous line that most people will not lose their jobs to AI, they’ll lose their jobs to somebody who uses AI. This is true, but in terms of music, it’s not happened yet, although we can see from other sectors what is coming and what we must be ready for. Such is the pace of change unfolding in the world, the future is not certain but a total commitment to your art and a focus on adaptability positions creatives well to navigate successful journeys and have enriching careers.”
For more information on Vasily Petrenko, his work in education, album releases and forthcoming concerts, visit https://vasilypetrenkomusic.com