Universal Music Group is putting more executive weight behind artificial intelligence, appointing Òscar Celma as Senior Vice President, Applied AI and Machine Learning. The appointment, announced on September 28, brings an executive with experience across Spotify, Pandora/SiriusXM and Condé Nast into a role focused on applying AI across the music company.
Why this appointment matters
For the music business, AI is increasingly moving beyond experimental tools and into everyday infrastructure. Recommendation systems, catalog intelligence, audience discovery, rights operations and personalization can all be shaped by machine learning. A dedicated senior role at one of the world’s largest music companies is another signal that these capabilities are becoming part of long-term music strategy rather than a side project.
A background in music discovery
Celma’s background is particularly relevant because music discovery and personalization are areas where AI has already changed listener behavior. His previous work includes Spotify and Pandora/SiriusXM, giving UMG an executive who has worked close to the systems that connect catalogs with audiences.
What artists and labels should watch
The practical question is how major rights-holders use AI while protecting creative and commercial interests. Better discovery and audience intelligence could help catalogs travel further, but the industry is simultaneously debating training rights, attribution, licensing and the treatment of AI-generated music. Those issues make responsible deployment as important as technical capability.
UMG says Celma’s appointment is effective immediately. The move is worth watching as labels, distributors and platforms increasingly build AI into the systems behind music discovery and monetization.
Source: Universal Music Group announcement.