Recording & Mixing AI and Music Tech in 2026 - Sonarworks Survey
Helmuts Bems, Co-Founder and CEO of Sonarworks, joins Sam Inglis to discuss the findings of their recent AI survey. The conversation explores differing industry perspectives on generative versus assistive AI and provides insight into the extent to which professional musicians are already adopting these emerging technologies.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
00:33 - A Data-Driven Audio Company
04:56 - Assistive Vs Generative AI
07:36 - New Categories Of Tools
08:27 - Early Adoption Of AI Tools
12:50 - Negative Or Neutral Tensions
18:37 - Tackling Ethical Issues
21:25 - Where Music Production Is Heading
26:33 - The Impact Across Industries And Musical Genres
33:05 - Changes In Music Consumption
37:08 - How Technology Has Shaped Music
42:41 - AI As A Huge Industry Disruption
For more insights and data read the related article: www.soundonsound.com/music-business/ai-music-tech-2026
Full Report (PDF): https://blog-uploads.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2026/01/ai-music-production-skills-report-2026-sonarworks.pdf
Sonarworks Blog (Short Version): www.sonarworks.com/blog/research/future-music-production-human-producer-survey-2026
Sonarworks Biog
Sonarworks is an award-winning audio technology company specialising in sound calibration and audio personalisation. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Riga, Latvia, the company develops patented calibration and AI-driven technologies that enable consistent, reference-grade audio across a wide range of listening environments and professional workflows. Sonarworks’ solutions are trusted by more than 300,000 studios worldwide and are widely used by audio engineers, producers and content creators.
In addition to its professional studio tools, Sonarworks has expanded into consumer audio through its SoundID personalisation technology, which adapts sound to individual hearing profiles and preferences. The company licenses its technology to global audio and consumer electronics partners and continues to be recognised internationally for its innovation in precision audio and sound optimisation.
https://www.sonarworks.com/blog/research
Helmuts Bems (Co-founder, CEO) Biog
Helmuts Bems is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sonarworks, a leading audio technology company based in Riga, Latvia. He co-founded the company in 2012 and has overseen its strategic growth into a global innovator in sound calibration and personalised audio solutions, securing multiple financing rounds and international partnerships to expand its technologies across professional and consumer markets. Bems holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business Administration from the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga. Under his leadership, Sonarworks has been recognised for advancing precision audio technologies used by engineers and studios worldwide and has achieved notable industry accolades and commercial milestones. Driven by complex challenges, Bems combines strategic planning and team leadership with a commitment to advancing deep-tech innovation, and maintains personal interests in endurance sports and outdoor pursuits.
Sam Inglis Biog
Editor In Chief Sam Inglis has been with Sound On Sound for more than 20 years. He is a recording engineer, producer, songwriter and folk musician who studies the traditional songs of England and Scotland, and the author of Neil Young's Harvest (Bloomsbury, 2003) and Teach Yourself Songwriting (Hodder, 2006).
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