BubbleUp CEO says AI is the latest tech cycle, not a music-industry threat

By AI, Created 5:21 PM UTC, June 03, 2026, /AGP/ – BubbleUp CEO Coleman Sisson says the music business should treat AI as a practical tool, not a disruption, drawing on five decades of tech shifts from PCs to smartphones. He argues the real test is whether AI delivers measurable productivity gains and better outcomes for artists, teams and fans.

Why it matters: - BubbleUp CEO Coleman Sisson is pushing the music industry to view AI as a workflow tool, not a replacement for creative work. - The argument matters for labels, artists and music-tech teams deciding where AI fits in day-to-day operations. - Sisson says the same fear-and-hype pattern has followed every major technology cycle he has lived through.

What happened: - Coleman Sisson, CEO of BubbleUp, outlined his view of AI after five decades in technology. - Sisson has been writing software since college and started that career path while working as a mainframe programmer. - In 1981, Sisson bought a Heathkit personal computer, even as colleagues mocked the decision. - Sisson says the adoption waves around IBM PCs, Lotus 1-2-3, Google, the iPhone and social media all followed a similar pattern. - BubbleUp is a music technology company that has worked with Luke Bryan, Khruangbin, Avett Brothers, BTS, Eagles, Kelsea Ballerini, Kenny Chesney and Doechii.

The details: - Sisson argues that new technology is usually overestimated in the short term and underestimated in the long term. - His approach to AI is to adopt early, use it thoughtfully and focus on measurable productivity gains. - Sisson says he uses AI to refine presentations, analyze financial reports, review contracts and pressure-test ideas. - In music, Sisson places AI in the same category as microphones, drum machines, Pro Tools and streaming, which once drew similar concerns. - Sisson says those earlier tools expanded access and increased the amount of music created and consumed. - BubbleUp has used AI to increase revenue for clients, assist with software development and automate internal processes. - Sisson says not every AI experiment will succeed, and he frames that as normal for meaningful technology adoption.

Between the lines: - Sisson’s message is less about AI hype and more about operating discipline. - The practical takeaway is that music companies can test AI in narrow, useful tasks before betting on bigger changes. - His view suggests the industry’s competitive edge may come from faster execution, not from using AI as a headline.

What’s next: - BubbleUp is likely to keep applying AI where it improves outcomes for clients and internal teams. - Sisson says the long-term goal is steady integration, not chasing a single breakthrough. - The broader music industry will keep deciding whether AI becomes a creative threat, a productivity boost, or both.

The bottom line: - Sisson’s case is straightforward: AI should be judged by results, not by the fear it creates.