Music Production in The Age of AI
Steve Horner sharing some of his recent work and getting into the nitty gritty of how he produces. Photo by Joshua Boelter
The world of music production in the age of artificial intelligence is one of constant adaptation and uncertainty. Steve Horner, an award-winning composer and producer, told the Music Producers of Duluth (MPOD) Club to approach it with a growth mindset.
“Always infuse your own creativity in what you’re doing,” Horner said. “Love what you do. AI can’t fall in love with music like we can.”
MPOD's poster was up all around campus, inviting everyone to gain insight from a professional.
The MPOD Club at UMD hosted Horner as a guest speaker on Oct. 1, 2025 to get the insider perspective on what today's commercial music climate is like.
Horner presented to a crowd of about 30 wide-eyed college students eager to listen. When Horner began, the ambiance of the room was open, excited and ready to learn.
MPOD was founded by Joshua Boelter in 2023 to create a space for small music producers to share their music, create more together and learn from each other. Boelter shared how much of an inspiration Horner has been to him and the generosity he has shown the club.
“He really cared about the students and the club,” Boelter said.
As a commercial producer, Horner shared the effects that artificial intelligence has had on his mindset surrounding creativity and creation. To him, one of the most important ways to combat AI production taking over is to use creativity and use AI as a tool rather than viewing it as a competitor.
Horner shared that he has been a music producer for 40-plus years and his compositions have been featured in shows and movies, including Bridgerton, The Lego Ninjago series and more. Horner also produces advertisements, which he said have become his bread and butter.
“Over time, you learn your craft more and more, but I still find times where I don’t know what I’m doing,” said Horner while discussing finding a niche in an industry like music production.
MPOD members attentively learning from Steve Horner. Photo by Joshua Boelter
Horner also commended the students for being a part of the club and reminded them that they are not each other's competition either — they are a community that could help each other reach their goals. He reminded the students to start locally and go from there, using networking and social media to reach a wider audience.
He shared a final word about how you will inevitably receive criticism and how important it is to receive it well.
“If I get hit with criticism, I let the really bad feeling wash over me and sit with it for a while until it starts to calm down… and then I realize that they’re right,” Horner said.
Horner ended the session by showing the students some of his work and offering to present to the group again and mentor the students with future projects.