People are taking a patchwork approach to self-expression to feel like they have control over how their identity is generated. Yet as individual expression becomes more mutable and mistrust in social systems abounds, there’s one place above all that people are seeking integrity and guidance: brands.

The role of the artist alongside emerging technologies has ushered in feelings of unease and fear. Holly Herndon demonstrates the opportunity for creativity through her vocal clone Holly+, sparking conversations around the release of IP and shifting ownership desires in the digital landscape.

A demand for more frequent musical releases has put fandoms in conflict with their favourite artists. Music lovers are flooding social media platforms with AI-generated covers faster than record labels can respond, bringing the ethics around AI and art ownership to the forefront of cultural debates.

From cancelled gigs to delayed album releases, the pandemic has been devastating for musicians. Bandcamp, an online discovery storefront, led the way with an ‘artist-first’, multi-channel approach to music consumption – emerging as a solution to grievances within the industry.

Brands are racing to integrate AI into their services and products, but are they rushing into it for fear of falling behind? Canvas8 spoke to Mark Bainbridge, co-founder of Dragonfly AI, to find out more about how brands and businesses can effectively leverage AI for both employees and customers.