AI Drives Riyadh’s Rise as Music Epicenter

Just one week after global icons Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé made headlines at the 67th GRAMMY Awards, Panos Panay, President of the Recording Academy, flew into Saudi Arabia to deliver a compelling message on the future of the music industry at DeepFest 2025. The world’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) conference, which runs alongside the prestigious LEAP tech event, is taking place at the Riyadh International Exhibition and Convention Centre until February 12, 2025.

Panay, who has been visiting the Kingdom for several years, shared his amazement at Riyadh’s remarkable transformation. Citing events like Riyadh Music Week and the rapid growth of MDLBEAST, a Saudi-based entertainment company, he made a bold prediction for the future of music in the region.

“I have absolutely no doubt that within the next five years, Riyadh will become the music epicenter of the entire region,” Panay remarked. “It will be the Los Angeles of the Middle East, undoubtedly.”

As the President of the Recording Academy, Panay also emphasized his mission to amplify the music scene in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region globally. “There’s no area on the planet richer in heritage and musicality than the MENA region,” said Panay. “With 400 million Arabic speakers, it’s only a matter of time before an Arabic star reaches global stardom, much like K-pop has.”

AI and streaming platforms are key factors accelerating this transformation. Panay believes that technological advancements are enabling greater creativity and wider visibility for emerging artists, despite the staggering number of 400,000 new songs being added to Spotify daily.

“It’s an overwhelming amount of content, but technology is undoubtedly an enabler,” he noted. “I’m sure entrepreneurs here are already working on better ways for emerging artists to connect with audiences.”

DeepFest 2025 is bringing together AI innovators and industry leaders from around the world, featuring over 150 speakers and 120 exhibitors. The event, which attracted more than 50,000 participants on its second day, has been a platform for discussing the societal impact of AI and its applications in diverse industries.

Lambert Hogenhout, Chief Data and AI at the United Nations, discussed AI’s potential to enhance human productivity, citing examples such as AI-assisted calendar apps and writing tools. He urged those with dystopian views of AI to reconsider, emphasizing how AI could allow society to focus on creativity, fulfillment, and connection.

Dr. Yaser Al Onaizan, CEO of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), also addressed the event, highlighting the real-world benefits of AI and its transformative potential. “To be really effective, AI should be invisible,” Al Onaizan stated, underscoring the need for AI to seamlessly support human tasks.

Annabelle Mander, Executive Vice President of Tahaluf, reiterated how AI is reshaping various industries, from entertainment to healthcare, and how DeepFest is highlighting the positive impact of AI in these sectors.

As DeepFest continues through February 12, visitors can expect more insightful discussions on quantum computing, women breaking barriers in the tech industry, and case studies on AI’s role in revolutionizing healthcare.

The future of music in Riyadh is just beginning, and AI is playing a crucial role in shaping it.