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When debating a topic as controversial as AI, there is one argument that is almost always brought up as a negative consequence: the killing of creativity. This is now also present in the entertainment and creative industry, where AI can be used not only as an enhancer of certain processes, but also be the literal content creator. AI-generated songs have been circulating for years and have certainly added to the controversy. Questions are raised about the ethics, the lack of creativity and the lack of transparency. On first glance, there do not seem to be a lot of positive opinions circulating about the impacts of AI on music. The general consensus seems to be that music will become more homogenous and generic, tracks are more likely to be stolen and reused without giving credit to original artists, and it will be harder to tell apart original work versus AI-generated content. 

However, a lot of these arguments are not new criticisms of the current state of music trends. Even without considering AI in this scenario, today’s producing landscape is full of lawsuits and arguments over similar sounding music, ghost writers who prevent audiences from always knowing who is producing what music, and listeners criticising the homogeneity among songs within similar genres sounding more or less the same (especially amongst older audiences). So this poses the question: Is AI creating more problems or simply adding on to existing criticisms of today’s music output? As AI continues to advance, it will presumably get better at generating newer and more original music that fits to current trends, as well as being able to cite where it got what music components from. From this perspective, a more transparent and skilled version of AI-technology will reach the exact point that the music industry is currently at. Moving forward it would be interesting to observe if AI is accelerating the deterioration of creativity, or maybe simply catching up to current trends in music production.

References:

Semancik, A. (2025, February 4). How AI is transforming the creative economy and music industry. OHIO Today. https://www.ohio.edu/news/2024/04/how-ai-transforming-creative-economy-music-industry

OpenAI. (2025, October 3). AI-generated cover image of human–AI music creation [AI-generated image]. ChatGPT. https://chat.openai.com/

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Most people who know anything about techno in Berlin have heard of Berghain, and just as many people know that the club is synonymous with an incredibly high rejection rate. Estimates of the average rejection percentage vary between 30%-60% in online conversations, discouraging many people from attempting to get in, as well as challenging others to try their luck. Recently, I discovered multiple online simulators that try to predict whether or not entry will be denied at the door. I was intrigued to see how accurately an AI tool and virtual experience could simulate this journey.

The simulator asks for access to your camera and your microphone in order to interpret your facial expressions and body language. You are presented with a bouncer who asks you questions before letting in. One example from berghaintrainer.com  asks three questions (the questions vary in each attempt). Some example questions include: Are you alone?; Who’s playing tonight?; Did you take any drugs?; Have you been here before?; Why should I let you in?, and so on. The simulator notes your responses and the bounder either denies or allows you entry. There are also four facial recognition indicators shown on the screen: anger, focus, awe and euphoria. After a few tries, I was denied entry every time. 

In the case that all questions are answered correctly, there may still be a chance that you are denied entry based on your facial expressions, for example if the simulator believes you looked angry or unfocused. In general, it gives you a pretty good idea of what might happen when you try to enter and what questions you might be asked. However, there are many things that the simulator cannot assess that may make the difference between being allowed or denied entry when it comes to the real thing. For example, the camera does not capture your outfit or what you are wearing, which can definitely impact your chances depending on the night. Accents are also not recognized through the voice recorder. These things can be important, as clubs are notorious for gatekeeping Berlin techno for local visitors/clubbers. International tourists or even Germans from other states may be denied entry because they do not fit the classic “Berlin aesthetic” or are not accompanied by a local. More subtle body language or physical indicators like signs of drug use or perceived age also cannot be interpreted over the camera. All of these factors are also made obsolete by the fact that who is playing and the bouncer you encounter can completely change what is acceptable one day and is not the next. In this regard, even an improvement of the technology cannot guarantee an accurate prediction. Nonetheless, the simulator is a fun trial to get an idea of what being in line in Berghain is like, and might aid some people in their missions to get in (or save them the trouble of waiting in line for 3 hours for nothing). 

References

Berghain Trainer. (n.d.). Berghain Trainer. Retrieved September 18, 2025, from https://berghaintrainer.com/

Carey, K. (2023, December 28). I tried to get into Europe’s most notorious nightclub—and failed. The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/i-tried-to-get-into-europe-s-most-notorious-nightclub-and-failed-20231228-p5eu0j.html

Test your chances of getting into Berghain on new virtual simulator. (n.d.). The Ransom Note. Retrieved September 18, 2025, from https://www.theransomnote.com/music/news/test-your-chances-of-getting-into-berghain-on-new-virtual-simulator/

OpenAI. (2025). Cover image for blog post on Berghain simulators [Digital illustration generated by ChatGPT]. OpenAI.