How should I think about my role as an artist in an AI-powered future?

Think of yourself transitioning from being a solo musician playing every instrument to becoming a conductor of an orchestra. Right now as a solopreneur, you’re handling billing, scheduling, shipping, taxes, creating art, marketing—all the individual instruments. With AI, you’ll move toward conducting your organization, directing your team of automated systems. You’ll still be in charge and making the creative decisions, but AI will handle the execution of many tasks. As you get different pieces working—one thing saving time here, another there—you’ll have multiple automated processes working in harmony like an orchestra, with you as the conductor.

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Asked by an artist concerned about their role with AI · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2025-05-30