The impact of AI on the musical world: will musicians be obsolete?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is going through a period of renewed interest and success thanks to the rise of neural networks, the staple of the so-called deep learning. Creating a computer program capable of writing believable music has been tried since the 1960s, with lackluster results. Composing music seemed something beyond the potential of machines, but recent developments in the field are challenging this conception. This article will explore the latest developments falling at the intersection between artificial intelligence and music and then investigate what possible impact such new technologies may have on the musical world, from a technical as well as an aesthetic standpoint, trying to demystify some common misconceptions and worries.