The future of Afrobeats will be shaped by a partnership between human creativity and artificial intelligence, according to Adekunbi Fowosore, CEO of Kbee Promo World, who said that AI is already transforming how the genre is created, produced and promoted globally.

Speaking on the impact of technology on Nigeria’s biggest music export, Fowosore said AI should be treated as a tool to expand reach, not a substitute for the cultural identity that makes Afrobeats unique.

Fowosore noted that AI is now embedded in both the studio and the marketing room.

“In music creation and production, artists and producers can use AI tools to explore sounds, develop ideas, experiment with arrangements, improve production quality and work more efficiently,” she said.

On promotion, she said that the impact is even bigger.

“AI can help identify audiences, analyse listening behaviour, create marketing content, personalise campaigns and determine, which markets are most likely to respond to a particular song.

“At Kbee Promo World, I see AI as an additional tool for the music industry, not a replacement for the human creativity that makes Afrobeats unique,” she added.

The Kbee CEO said AI presents a major opening for Afrobeats to grow beyond Africa, but warned of risks around ownership and authenticity.

“I see AI primarily as an opportunity, but it has to be used responsibly. Afrobeats has already become a global sound, and AI can accelerate that growth by helping artists reach audiences they may not have had access to before.

“The threat comes when AI is used to copy artists without permission, create music without proper ownership, manipulate streams or remove the human identity from the music. Technology should amplify creativity, not exploit it,” she stated.

Fowosore said independent and upcoming artists stand to benefit the most, as AI lowers the cost of professional marketing.

“Artists can use AI to understand different audiences and markets more effectively. For example, AI can assist with audience research, content creation, translation, subtitles, social-media strategy, advertising and campaign optimisation.

“An artist in Lagos can create a song and use data-driven marketing to identify listeners in the UK, United States, Europe or other African markets who are most likely to connect with that sound. But the artist must remain authentic. AI can help take the music to the world; it cannot manufacture the cultural identity that makes Afrobeats special,” she added.

On whether AI-generated music can replace human artists, Fowosore was clear. “I don’t believe AI can truly replace the originality of an artist. Afrobeats is more than drums, melodies and vocals. It carries culture, language, experiences, emotions, stories and the personality of the people creating it.

“AI can generate sounds, but an artist brings lived experience. That human experience is what gives a song meaning and creates an emotional connection with an audience. I believe the future will be about human creativity powered by technology, rather than technology replacing human creativity,” she said.

Fowosore said AI is democratising access to tools once reserved for major labels. “Independent artists now have access to tools that were previously available mainly to artists with major-label budgets. AI can help them with research, content creation, campaign planning, audience targeting, translations, visual concepts and marketing analysis.

“For independent artists, the biggest opportunity is efficiency: doing more with limited resources while making smarter decisions,” she added.

Looking at global expansion, she said that AI can answer the next big question for Afrobeats promoters: where next?

“Music marketing is becoming increasingly data-driven. AI can analyse audience behaviour and help marketers understand where a song is gaining traction, which type of content is performing and which audiences should receive more attention.

“For Afrobeats, this is particularly important because the sound is now global. The objective should no longer be simply to ask, ‘How do we promote this song in Africa?’ We should also be asking, ‘Where else in the world is this sound connecting, and how do we build that audience?’ AI can help us answer those questions faster,” she noted.

Fowosore predicted that Afrobeats would fuse more with other global sounds, but authenticity will remain king.

“We will probably see more experimentation between African rhythms and sounds from different parts of the world. Production will become faster and more sophisticated, and artists will have access to tools that allow them to experiment with sounds that may not have been possible before.

“However, I don’t think the future of Afrobeats will be about making everything sound like AI. The strongest artists will still be the ones with a unique identity, strong storytelling and authentic cultural expression.

“At Kbee Promo World, I believe the future belongs to artists and music brands that understand both creativity and technology. Afrobeats has already proven that African music can compete globally. AI gives us another opportunity to strengthen that position,” Fowosore said.