NAMM 2026 was absolutely dominated by AI-discourse. There were many eager music tech companies looking for new ways to incorporate the alleged world-changing potential of it. Then, there were those generative AI-oriented outfits trepidatiously floating around the show, subtly attempting to integrate themselves within a cautious industry.
While AI is, of course, a broad topic, a widespread perception for many in the music-making sphere is that AI is an existentially damaging force. What's more, is a pervading feeling that this disruptive new power should not be engaged with in any capacity.
It’s a view largely fostered by the rejection of copyright-infringing, generative AI-platforms, evolving into a mass lumping-in of anything labelled with those two little letters as aspects of the same malevolent entity. Even the stuff that may actually be pretty useful, is frequently tarred with the brush.
