Company
BandLab
BandLab, as described on the show by Dani Deahl.
Episodes (1)
Dani Deahl, head of communications at BandLab, on the app's growth to 100 million users and why AI should support, rather than replace, human creators.
Questions these episodes answer
How many users does BandLab have and who are they?
BandLab recently passed 100 million registered users, up from 60 million the year before. Deahl says most users are under 24, only about 30 % come from the US even though it is BandLab's largest single market, and users mostly make music on their phones rather than a desktop computer.
Why doesn't BandLab limit itself to iPhone users like GarageBand?
Deahl says most of the world uses Android phones rather than iPhones, so a tool locked to Apple's ecosystem like GarageBand leaves most potential creators out. BandLab is built to work free across every device and platform instead, so anyone can make music no matter which phone they own.
What is BandLab's stance on AI and human creativity?
BandLab was the first company to publicly back the Human Artistry Campaign, a set of principles asserting that AI should live alongside human creativity and augment it, with the human kept at the center. Deahl says the company builds its own AI around three ideas: putting the person before the algorithm, keeping training data traceable, and making AI training opt-in rather than opt-out.
Will AI replace musicians and other jobs in the music industry?
Deahl says some parts of the industry, such as production-music licensing, are likely to be seriously affected by AI, and workers who depend on it exclusively should think about diversifying their income. She compares the disruption to earlier technologies like electricity, arguing that fear fades as people gain access and more people ultimately find new opportunities than lose out.
Why are almost 40% of BandLab's users women?
Deahl, who has spent years pushing for more women in music production and engineering, says she was surprised to find that almost 40 % of BandLab's users identify as female, far higher than most platforms. She credits it to removing the usual barriers, since BandLab is free, needs no expensive equipment, and gives anyone a safe space to create without prior training.