North Carolina will host the N.C. A&T AI Conference, launching an innovative project related to AI and music called “Exponential Intelligence: Advancing AI Beyond Boundaries and Disciplines.” This project is led by Nolan Gasser, a leading figure in music and technology research, known for hist great projects in music and technology industry. This new project aims to explore AI beyond algorithms and systems, demonstrating that AI isn’t just for engineers or data scientists, but can be present in everyone’s lives, including through music. Learn more about this project.
Music as a gateway to AI
This conference, which will take place in Greensboro on September 25th and 26th, is expected to feature researchers, students, professionals, and those curious about technology and how it is shaping the future in different areas of life. The event’s opening keynote will be given by Nolan Gasser, and it promises to be one of the conference’s most inspiring moments. This is because there is interest in how he brought together two seemingly distant fields: technology — especially AI — and music.
Music and algorithms: An innovative combination
Gasser was responsible for creating two major projects within this universe of music and technology. The Music Genome Project is a system that analyzes musical characteristics to better understand users’ tastes. It was through this technology that Gasser created Pandora Radio, a project that changed the way people discover new music.
This technology paved the way for the recommendation model we know today on streaming platforms — beyond the music industry — such as Spotify, Netflix, and even TikTok. The impact of this technology was crucial to the development of these platforms and consumer interest, and today, when someone receives a personalized playlist or a movie suggestion, they are benefiting from the legacy of this innovation.
Beyond the relevance of this work, Gasser continued to explore AI technology in the music industry, such as the project on how AI can help decipher musical taste patterns, in collaboration with Google DeepMind and Meta. Gasser has demonstrated throughout his career that technology can enhance human creativity in any setting, and this makes his participation in the conference even more relevant.
An event beyond academic borders
Greensboro was chosen as the host city for a specific reason: the city is home to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T), an institution recognized for its investment in innovation in fields such as engineering, computer science, and now artificial intelligence.
The event is planned to be a space for practical interaction and the exchange of ideas. The two-day program will feature panels, workshops, and lectures, which will discuss topics such as the application of AI in the classroom, the ethical challenges of algorithms, and how they influence our choices, among other topics.
This conference is expected to put Greensboro on the global map of technology and culture. As the event will welcome experts from across the country and even visitors from abroad, the city has the chance to be seen not only as a regional technology hub, but also as a global space for discussing the future of artificial intelligence, all its forms, and how it can be used creatively.
The impact of the conference
The Greensboro AI Conference will be a perfect opportunity to connect technology, art, and society, and Nolan Gasser plays an important role in the event by demonstrating that AI can be incorporated into everyday life, even in less obvious areas like music.
Regardless of the topic or field, AI is increasingly present in everyday life, and events like this help make it more accessible. The future of artificial intelligence now gains new perspectives and implementation possibilities, and it will be interesting to follow the results of this event for research around the world.