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Björn Ulvaeus, co-founder of the legendary Swedish pop group ABBA, has announced his latest endeavor: co-writing a musical with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI). During a talk at SXSW London on June 4, 2025, Ulvaeus shared the idea behind the project and discussed how AI supports the creative process of songwriting.
Ulvaeus said that he is three-quarters through the process. He further spoke of AI, stating:
“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.”
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He noted that his AI helper is “lousy at making a whole song” and “not good at writing lyrics,” which has allowed him to navigate through some creative dead ends.
“You can prompt a lyric you have written about something, and you’re stuck maybe, and you want this song to be in a certain style,” he said. “You can ask it, how would you extend? Where would you go from here? It usually comes out with garbage, but sometimes there is something in it that gives you another idea.”
Although AI has made significant progress, Björn Ulvaeus believes that it should be seen as an addition to a composer’s creative process and not a replacement.
Björn Ulvaeus joins star-studded lineup at 2025 SXSW London
Swedish musician Björn Ulvaeus made his mark in both music and business as the founder of pop superstars ABBA. Born in Gothenburg, Sweden, on April 25, 1945, Ulvaeus rose to international stardom in the 1970s as ABBA’s co-songwriter and guitarist, along with Benny Andersson.
Björn Ulvaeus will share the 2025 SXSW London stage with Erykah Badu as DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown, Tems, Mabel, Alice Glass, and others. He revealed that he is currently composing a musical together with an AI system. While the precise details of the project have not been disclosed, it is being created together with Pophouse Entertainment.
In May 2022, the virtual residency ABBA Voyage debuted in London, bringing live music with digital portrayals of ABBA. The show takes place at ABBA Arena, built in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and is scheduled to run through January 2026.
Ten live performers share the stage with digital avatars of ABBA’s original members, who have been absent from live shows since they last performed together as a group in 1982. The group—comprising Agnetha Fältskog, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad—released their first album in 40 years, Voyage, in November 2021.
Although Björn Ulvaeus embraces AI in making music, he still stands up for artists’ rights as modern technology advances. “These AI models wouldn’t exist without the songs that we wrote,” he said.
