The first priority of the alliance is to focus on harnessing AI to creatively manage the increasingly complex variety of digital assets required for global music marketing campaigns, which can number up to 700 for a single project from artwork for streaming services to social media content, banners, and advertising materials.

The first project will be led by Professor Dr Jochen Hartmann – founder of TUM School of Management’s the GenAI Lab – and BMG’s marketing and corporate development teams. Professor Dr Hartmann, an expert whose work focuses on the junction of digital marketing and machine learning, is a global pioneer in applied GenAI research. His papers, including a study into political bias in ChatGPT which made global headlines in in summer 2023, have significantly contributed to the field. Complementing this partnership, BMG is sponsoring a two-year PhD position at TUM’s Professorship of Digital Marketing, fostering academic excellence and innovative research.

BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld said, “GenAI’s impact on the music industry will be transformational, where human artistry is at the heart of it.  We are delighted to be partnering with a thought leader in the field of digital marketing, Professor Dr Hartmann. Together we believe we will continue to move the dial on the deployment of AI technologies in the music business to reach wider fan audiences more effectively.”

Professor Dr Hartmann said, “The core objective of this first phase of our work will be to demonstrate how generative AI can improve the creative efficiency and effectiveness of multi-modal marketing content. I am delighted to be working with BMG in this groundbreaking area.”

SVP Corporate Development at BMG, Johannes von Schwarzkopf, highlighted the project's potential: “The integration of AI into music marketing is about more than efficiency; it's about reimagining the creative process. AI offers us an unprecedented opportunity to change the way we market and experience music globally.”

Professor Dr Gunther Friedl, Dean of the TUM School of Management, said, “The corporate partnership with BMG reflects our commitment to fostering a dynamic exchange between the corporate world and our academic community. By collaborating with renowned institutions and industry leaders such as BMG, we remain at the forefront of innovation.”

The new initiative builds on BMG’s commitment to the deployment of AI. In 2021 the company released an AI-completed version of Beethoven’s unfinished 10th symphony, and AI technologies are already used in both synch and royalty functions.

About BMG
BMG is an integrated music publishing and recordings business and the world’s fourth-largest international music company. BMG’s distinctive pitch is a relentless focus on global service to its artist and songwriter clients, combining creative insight and support with the best in technology and analytics. BMG’s 22 offices across 13 core music markets represent over three million songs and recordings, including many of the most renowned and successful catalogs in popular music history. BMG is owned by international media, services and education company Bertelsmann, whose other content businesses include the entertainment company RTL Group and the trade book publisher Penguin Random House. With its integrated technology platform, artist-friendly culture and commitment to help artists maximize their income, BMG aims to be the best company in music to do business with. www.bmg.com