Artificial intelligence is sweeping across the creative industries and nowhere is the tension sharper than in music. The generative AI in music sector is projected to grow from roughly USD 440 million in 2023 at a CAGR of more than 30% through 2030. Platforms are already struggling to manage misuse: Spotify reportedly removed 75 million “spam” or AI-generated tracks in a single year after false uploads flooded its system.
For creators, the risk is real. AI may offer speed, but it can also introduce copyright headaches and devalue artistry. Stockholm-based Epidemic Sound is responding with an AI tool called Adapt that is designed to help creators and musicians.
Why Creators Are Wary
According to the Future of the Creator Economy Report 2025 published by Epidemic Sound, 91% of content creators now use AI in their workflows. But enthusiasm is uneven.
Filmmaker and YouTuber Steve Wright said in an interview on my podcast that he avoids fully synthetic music. “I just straight up refuse to use AI-generated music because of the safety concerns,” he explained. “The reality is you don’t own the copyright to it. Imagine building your YouTube channel for a year, and overnight your music gets flagged. Three strikes and your channel is gone.”
An Assistive Approach
Epidemic Sound’s co-founder and CEO Oscar Höglund said in the podcast interview that Adapt was built to support creators. “We do not want to be part of a narrative where we unleash huge amounts of generative AI music to flood the world and diminish the value of music made by incredibly talented artists,” he said. “Instead, we asked: how can AI reduce toil for creators while also platforming musicians?”
Rather than generate new songs, Adapt lets users reshape tracks in Epidemic’s 250,000-song catalog—adjusting length, tempo, structure, or instrumentation with a few clicks. “It’s quite common you find a track you like, but then making it perfect for your story takes hours,” Höglund said. “The idea behind Adapt was to put those tools in the hands of creators so they can make those decisions immediately.”
He emphasized the tool’s alignment with artists: “If Steve falls in love with a track but needs to adapt it, the likelihood of usage goes up. More creators use the music, distribution increases and so does monetization. We increased royalty payouts by 43% and built in extra compensation anytime tracks are adapted.”
From “Boring, Mundane Jobs” to Creative Freedom
Wright said on the podcast that Adapt has transformed his workflow. “Back then, I remember the frustration of finding a track that was almost right. Maybe there was a vocal I didn’t want in the background, or the length was off. I’d spend days chopping up audio,” he said. “Now, before I even download the track, I can restructure it, remove vocals, loop it, or instantly generate a 50-second version. That saves me a massive amount of time. It’s the difference between putting out two videos a month and one a week—and that can double my revenue.”
Aligning Economics With Creativity
Höglund noted that Adapt launched in Epidemic’s “Labs” section so that creators and artists could shape it together. “Throughout the entire process we had just as many meetings with artists as we did with creators,” he said. “We wanted to break down worries, understand their needs, and ultimately create something safe to use. That feedback loop is why we’re releasing updates almost daily now.”
He summed up the company’s mission in three parts: “What we ultimately want to provide to creators is performance, efficiency and peace of mind. Peace of mind that your rights are covered. Efficiency so you can spend less time on repetitive tasks. And performance, by helping you deliver better content to your audience.”
The Bigger Picture
The creator economy is now estimated at over USD 250 billion, and tools like Adapt are arriving as creators professionalize at scale. The question is whether AI will become a partner or a competitor.
Wright said the distinction matters. “The thought of AI replacing us is scary,” he said. “But if there are AI tools out there that are helping, not replacing, that’s huge. That’s the difference between making a living or not.”
Epidemic’s bet is that the future belongs to co-pilots. In a music landscape where AI can flood platforms with low-value content, Adapt is one attempt to prove that technology can multiply human creativity.
This article is based on an interview with Oscar and Steve from my podcast, The Business of Creators.