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Ethics of AI and Music

Docentlecture by Bob L. T. Sturm, Speech, Music and Hearing (EECS)

Time: Wed 2022-05-04 14.00

Location: E51

Language: English

Participating: Bob L.T. Sturm

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I reflect on three deep questions:

1. How does my work benefit the world?

2. How does my work harm the world?

3. How do I know?

These are questions of ethics, and reflecting on them provides reusable insights. I illustrate these with my own personal journey of research in applying artificial intelligence to traditional music of Ireland and Sweden. Frictions caused by this research motivated me to think about whether such an application harms the world, or even whether it provides a benefit – outside of my own professional success. So I set about learning about these traditions by reading, listening, and playing an instrument with a teacher. Participating in these tradition helps me to understand the origin of these frictions. These reflections and personal practice have widened my perspectives, and developed new appreciations. I have enlarged my networks outside the ivory tower, and am asking questions that are more enriching. This impacts my teaching as well. I have deepened my interaction with the world, and have become more sensitive to responsible engineering – which is constantly under review.