Jordan Rudess, Grammy-winning keyboardist of the progressive metal band, Dream Theater, has consistently pushed the limits of keyboard technology, performance expression, and the relationship between human creativity and emerging tools.
During his CAST residency at MIT, Rudess has been exploring the next frontier: real-time collaboration between human performer and artificial intelligence. He is collaborating with Professor Joe Paradiso’s MIT Media Lab Responsive Environments Group to create Jam_Bot, a new technology exploring the boundaries of AI-driven musical control and expression. The machine-learning model—trained on Rudess’s own playing style—improvises and performs live in duet with its human counterpart. This talk will trace the path that led him from classical training to pioneering work in musical innovation, unpack the development of his live AI collaboration project, and offer an honest look at where the technology stands today—and where it might take us next.
