From traditional musicians to digital musicians: a study on talent transformation in the music industries driven by AI technology.

INTRODUCTION: The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the music industries is fundamentally reshaping occupational roles, skill requirements, and career pathways, posing critical challenges for workforce development. This transformation compels a shift from conventional, craftbased music-making toward digitally enabled, interdisciplinary practices. METHODS: Employing a phenomenological qualitative research design, this study conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews with 20 stakeholders across four key groups-government officials, higher education faculty, enterprise managers, and frontline musicians- within the Beijing music industry. Data were analyzed using a six-step thematic analysis process facilitated by NVivo 14. RESULTS: The findings reveal that AI is systematically permeating music creation, production, distribution, and copyright management, driving a shift toward more digital, collaborative, and data-informed roles. However, significant cognitive gaps and divergent adaptive capacities among stakeholder groups have created structural imbalances within the talent development ecosystem. DISCUSSION: To address these challenges, this paper proposes an empirically grounded, four-pillar workforce development framework comprising institutional support, educational reform, enterprise engagement, and community development, emphasizing systemic coordination to build a resilient digital music talent ecosystem. This study advances theoretical understanding of labor market transformation in creative industries and provides practical pathways for regions seeking to foster a sustainable and inclusive music workforce in the age of AI.