CultTech Talks Episode 1: AI Takes The Stage at Voices Berlin

Welcome to the official launch of CultTech Talks — a global conversation series placing artists, creators, and cultural innovators at the centre of AI’s future.

Our first episode, AI Takes the Stage, was filmed live on 26 October 2025 at the Voices Berlin Festival, moderated by journalist and author Scott C. Johnson.

This 90-minute discussion dives deep into one urgent question:
What does AI really mean for the performing arts — creatively, ethically, and humanly?

For too long, technology has led and artists have had to adapt.

We’re flipping the script.

CultTech Talks asks creatives around the world what they want from AI before it’s built — and gathers their insights into an open, global archive for the future of culture and technology.

In this premiere episode, an extraordinary panel of directors, choreographers, musicians, technologists, and interdisciplinary pioneers explore how AI is transforming theatre, music, and live performance — and how we can keep the human spark at the centre of it all.

Featured Speakers
WENCHI SU – Choreographer & Founder, YILAB
Ivan Vyrypaev – Playwright, Director & Artistic Leader
Kojo Samuel – BAFTA-winning Music Director
Richard Crawford – Theatre Director, Secret Theatre Project
Asma Derja – CEO, Ethical AI Alliance
Olivia Gillman – Theatre Director & Actor
Otto Plesner – Artistic Director, RenaiXance
Alexis Kirke – Composer, Playwright & Coder

Moderator
Scott C. Johnson – Journalist & Author

Together, they unpack:
• How AI is reshaping creative processes and live performance.
• The opportunities for innovation in theatre, music, and immersive media.
• The ethical and societal questions emerging as AI enters the arts.
• What it truly means to be an artist in the age of intelligent machines.

This is only the beginning.

CultTech Talks — founded by Christopher Pleydell, Ian Truitner Azamat Ulbashev, curated with support from YiLAB — will continue to capture conversations with creative leaders and AI specialists worldwide.

Subscribe to follow the series as we explore the future of culture and technology, led by the people who shape it.Welcome to the official launch of CultTech Talks — a global conversation series placing artists, creators, and cultural innovators at the centre of AI’s future.