AIpiphanies

According to multiple news outlets (including The Times and The Guardian), Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA fame revealed at SXSW London that he’s in the midst of writing a new musical—with AI assisting. He described the AI as “another songwriter in the room,” helpful when creativity stalls—though he was quick to note it’s “lousy at writing whole songs” and “very bad at lyrics.”

Our take: We like this venture. Because if you’re going to lean into AI, do it with a legendary songwriter who knows what it means to craft a classic hit. Ulvaeus treats AI as co-pilot, not replacement—that matters. It’s the kind of alignment we love: human intent + machine scale.

But we also raise an eyebrow: when the tool becomes the trap. If the AI “idea generator” becomes the default composer, you risk diluting voice rather than amplifying it. We hope the next ABBA-era musical retains those unmistakable hooks, not just “good enough for algorithmic prompt.”

In short: we approve the collaboration. We caution against substituting authenticity. Because even when the system hums smoothly, you still want the heart behind the chord changes.