Musician and content creator Frederik Cornelius takes a pragmatic stance on artificial intelligence: he uses the technology where it speeds up or simplifies technical tasks, but draws a clear line when it comes to the creative process. Arriving in Hungary from Denmark, Cornelius discussed in the latest "Big AI Story" podcast how AI can already produce complete songs, singing voices, images and videos, and why he believes the human personality and the process of creation will retain special value. The podcast’s regular expert guest was Aczél Petra, communication researcher and professor at Széchenyi István University.
Experiences from Denmark and neighboring countries
Cornelius says that in Denmark AI has already appeared in advertising and television productions, and he encountered cases where deceased actors were digitally represented. He also noted that in Sweden a fully AI-created song has reached the top of the charts, illustrating the expanding capabilities of the technology.
AI music quality and an example from Szeged
The quality of AI-generated music is improving rapidly. Frederik recounted recognising AI-produced background music in a Szeged restaurant by the characteristics of the vocal. He judged the overall production to be near-professional, while the vocal still revealed the use of the technology.
Where he uses AI himself
Cornelius does not reject AI; he applies it in specific, practical areas:
- research and summarising large volumes of information,
- route and shooting planning,
- studio-technical tasks, especially to detect repetitive technical issues faster.
In these domains AI brings time and cost savings, although he does not entrust it with the act of creation itself.
Why he won’t hand over the creative process to AI
He explains that creating music is one of the parts of his work he enjoys and values personally. It is not only the finished song or the number of views that matters to him, but the journey: inspiration, experimentation and the human story. This attitude also informs his team decisions: even if some tasks could be done more cheaply with AI, he prefers to provide work and opportunities to people.
Concerns about music education and instrumental skills
Cornelius expressed concern that fewer young people may learn to play real instruments as it becomes easier to produce finished tracks with digital tools and AI. He believes it is important to ask whether the knowledge base from which music used to arise will be preserved.
The paradox of AI’s spread: authenticity and personality
He argues that the rise of AI could trigger an opposite reaction: as more artificially created or heavily optimized content appears, the value of genuine, recognizable personalities and stories may increase. Because technical perfection can become widely accessible, the competitive advantage may ultimately lie in what a single prompt cannot replicate: an identifiable human voice and identity.
Podcast topics and timestamps
- AI music, charts and the spread of artificial content (00:30)
- Concerts, virtual performers and the true value of creation (06:42)
- The Hungarian music industry and AI in the studio (11:35)
- Human team or automation: how Frederik uses AI (16:02)
- Deepfake, copyright and the future of instrumental music (20:17)
- Creativity, trends and the future of content production (24:46)
- Authenticity, Hungarian youth and a changing world with AI (31:34)
Cornelius’s conversation highlights that while AI can take over many technical tasks, the personal story and creative process remain qualities that are difficult to replace.
