Björn Ulvaeus Is Writing a Musical with AI—And It’s Actually Working

Okay, so here’s something wild—Björn Ulvaeus, the legendary ABBA songwriter, is using AI to help write a new musical. And no, this isn’t some half-baked experiment where the AI spits out gibberish lyrics about dancing queens and malfunctioning robots. He’s actually making it work.

At 80 years old, most people would be happy just to kick back and enjoy retirement. But not Björn. Nope. He’s diving headfirst into the future of music, proving once again that creativity doesn’t have an expiration date.

Why AI? Because Sometimes You Need a Weird Little Helper

Let’s be real—AI in music is a hot mess right now. We’ve all heard those AI-generated “new” Beatles songs or bizarre rap tracks that sound like a malfunctioning toaster. But Björn isn’t using AI to replace himself. Instead, he’s treating it like a glorified brainstorming partner.

Here’s how he describes it:

“It’s fantastic. It is such a great tool. It is like having another songwriter in the room with a huge reference frame. It is really an extension of your mind. You have access to things that you didn’t think of before.”

But—and this is key—he also admits AI is terrible at writing full songs (especially lyrics). So instead of expecting it to do all the work, he uses it to jumpstart ideas when he’s stuck.

How Björn Actually Uses AI in Songwriting

Lyric Prompts – If he’s halfway through a song and hits a wall, he’ll feed the AI what he has and ask, “Where would you go from here?” Most of the time, the AI’s suggestions are garbage, but sometimes there’s a nugget of gold.
Style Mimicking – Want a melody in the style of 70s disco? Or a Broadway-style ballad? AI can riff on that.
Breaking Creative Blocks – Instead of staring at a blank page, he lets the AI spit out random ideas—some bad, some surprisingly useful.

It’s basically like having a quirky co-writer who occasionally says something brilliant but mostly just rambles nonsense.

ABBA’s Always Been Tech-Obsessed (Seriously)

This isn’t Björn’s first rodeo with cutting-edge tech. Back in the ABBA days, he and Benny Andersson were gearheads. They:

Bought one of the first Mini Moog synths (which shaped their iconic sound).
Were early adopters of digital recording when everyone else was still using tape.
Pushed boundaries with “Voyage,” their virtual avatar concert that blew minds worldwide.

So, of course, he’d be the guy to embrace AI while others are still debating whether it’s “cheating.”

The Bigger Picture: AI & Artist Rights

Here’s where it gets interesting. Björn isn’t just using AI—he’s also fighting for fair compensation in the AI music era. As part of CISAC (a global music rights org), he’s pushing for AI companies to pay royalties when they train on artists’ work.

His argument?

“These AI models wouldn’t exist without the songs that we wrote.”

And he’s 100% right. If AI is learning from ABBA’s discography (or The Beatles, or Bowie), those artists should get paid.

What’s Next? A Full AI-Assisted Musical

Björn’s current project is three-quarters done, and it’s being developed with Pophouse Entertainment (the same folks behind ABBA Voyage). No details yet on the plot, but given his track record (“Mamma Mia!”, anyone?), it’ll probably be catchy as hell.

Final Thoughts: Should You Try AI in Music?

If a Swedish pop legend can use AI without losing his soul, maybe we can too. Here’s the takeaway:

AI won’t replace you—but it can help when you’re stuck.
It’s terrible at finishing songs, so don’t expect miracles.
Fight for fair use—if AI learns from artists, artists should benefit.

So, will AI change music forever? Yes. Is that a bad thing? Not if we do it right.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to ask an AI how to end this article. (Spoiler: It suggested “Dancing Queen 2.0.” Hard pass.)

References & Links

Got thoughts on AI in music? Drop ’em below—let’s argue like it’s 1979 and someone just dissed disco. 🎵

“ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus Writes New Musical Using AI: ‘Fantastic Tool’”