Ed Newton-Rex

Ed Newton-Rex is a leading voice on generative AI and ethical innovation, combining deep technical expertise with a rare creative perspective as a professional composer. He founded Jukedeck, the world's first AI music company, which was acquired by ByteDance, and went on to lead AI music development at TikTok and serve as VP of Audio at Stability AI, where he launched Stable Audio, named one of TIME Magazine's Best Inventions of 2023. Now founder of Fairly Trained, Ed champions ethical AI practices and advocates for creators' rights in the age of generative technology. His sessions equip organisations with practical strategies for adopting AI responsibly whilst navigating its profound impact on creativity, innovation, and industry transformation.

Ed Newton-Rex founded Jukedeck in 2012, launching the world's first AI music company and setting in motion a career that would position him at the forefront of generative AI's most transformative developments. After graduating top of his class in Music from Cambridge University, he built a platform that generated over a million original music pieces and earned a Cannes Innovation Lion before ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, acquired the business. His work at ByteDance saw him lead the AI music lab and oversee European Product for TikTok, where he focused on the platform's renowned AI recommendation algorithm. At Snapchat, he served as Chief Product Officer for Voisey, a music creation app that helped numerous users secure record deals, before joining Stability AI as VP of Audio, where he launched Stable Audio, an advanced AI music generation product named one of TIME Magazine's Best Inventions of 2023.

Now founder of Fairly Trained, Ed champions ethical AI practices and advocates for creators' rights in an industry grappling with the implications of generative technology. His advocacy work has gained significant attention, with writing published in The Guardian, The Times, and The Hollywood Reporter, where he addresses the complex intersection of AI development and creative labour. Recognised as one of Business Insider's 30 most creative figures in UK tech and one of Sifted's 20 generative AI 'power players' in Europe, he has also co-organised and judged the first international AI Song Contest and mentored at Abbey Road Studios' startup programme in London. As a professional composer published by Boosey & Hawkes, Ed offers a rare dual perspective, understanding both the technical possibilities of AI and the lived experience of creative professionals whose work is directly affected by these technologies. His recent white papers on AI training and data licensing have contributed meaningful frameworks to ongoing policy discussions.

Ed equips organisations with practical strategies for adopting AI responsibly whilst navigating its profound impact on creativity, innovation, and industry transformation. His sessions combine technical insight with ethical clarity, helping leaders understand not only what generative AI can do, but what it should do. Audiences leave with actionable frameworks for implementing AI in ways that respect creative labour, comply with emerging regulations, and build sustainable competitive advantage. Whether addressing technology executives, creative industry leaders, or policymakers, Ed delivers thought-provoking keynotes that challenge assumptions and provide clear pathways forward. He has spoken at prominent conferences including TEDx, Mobile World Congress, and Slush, and his insights have been featured across major media including the BBC, offering audiences a grounded, informed perspective on one of the most significant technological shifts of our time.