Saturday, November 14 | 12:15 PM

Culture Over Code

Creating With AI on Our Own Terms

  • Todd WaltonModerator
  • Paul StonePanelist
  • Melody AngelPanelist
  • Bemaji TillmanPanelist
  • Vikas SrinathPanelist

PhotoAlanthebox, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

Moderator

Todd Walton

Claude City Ambassador for Chicago

  • 13 yearsRev. Jesse Jackson, Rainbow PUSH Coalition
  • 9 yearsSpecial Advisor to former NASA astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison
  • TodayDirector of Innovation, The Desire Company
  • 18 yearsFounder, The Hip Hop Democrat

Global Mixx 2026

Culture Over Code

Creating With AI on Our Own Terms

The hour

Three parts.

  • Part 1Create
  • Part 2Protect
  • Part 3Ownership

Read the room

Who here makes things?

Music, film, art, words.

Read the room

Who used AI to make something this year?

Panelist

Paul Stone

Founder & Creator, Surviving Chicago

Panelist

Melody Angel

Singer, Songwriter, Lead Guitarist

Panelist

Bemaji Tillman

Producer and Founder, iChooz Creative Arts Foundation

Panelist

Vikas Srinath

Lawyer and Founder, PraxIQ

Part 1

Create

How the work gets made.

Listen & Laugh | Nov. 6, 2026

Dr. Dre vs. Ice Cube on AI

Part 1 | Create

Dr. Dre vs. Ice Cube on AI

Part 1 | Create

50%+

of new tracks delivered to Deezer each day were fully AI-⁠generated at the June 2026 peak, nearly 90,000 a day. They drew 1 to 3% of streams.

  • SourceDeezer Newsroom, July 21, 2026

Part 1 | Create

You stood up for human-⁠made music. Where do you draw the line?

Melody Angel

October 1, 2026 | Chicago Federal Center

“We want policy that says:‘This is fake music, andthis is real music.’We should have the choice.”

Melody Angel, at the rally

  • SourceHoodline, Oct. 2, 2026

PhotoChris Rycroft, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Part 1 | Create

What does AI do for Surviving Chicago? What can only you do?

Paul Stone

Part 1 | Create

Once Upon a Rhyme remixes fairy tales through hip-⁠hop. Where does AI fit?

Bemaji Tillman

Part 2

Protect

The law, the audience, and the artist.

Part 2 | Protect

Human authors only.

A work made by AI alone cannot be copyrighted, and writing the prompt does not make you its author.

  • SourceU.S. Copyright Office, Copyright and AI Part 2, Jan. 29, 2025 | Thaler v. Perlmutter, D.C. Cir., Mar. 18, 2025

Part 2 | Protect

What protects an artist better: the law or the audience?

Every panelist

Part 3

Ownership

Who owns the work, and what we keep.

Part 3 | Ownership

When an artist creates with AI, who owns what comes out?

Vikas Srinath

Part 3 | Ownership

HB 4875

Illinois law now covers AI: using a digital replica of a person’s voice or likeness without consent violates their right of publicity.

  • SourceIllinois Public Act 103-⁠0836, Right of Publicity Act, in force Jan. 1, 2025

Part 3 | Ownership

What will you hand to AI, and what won’t you?

Every panelist

Audience questions

Your turn.

Raise your hand and ask the panel.

Lightning round

On my own terms means...

One line from each panelist.

Global Mixx 2026

Culture Over Code

Creating With AI on Our Own Terms

Thank you

Thank you, Mary Datcher and Global Mixx.

17th Annual Global Mixx Music and Film Forum

Find them

Follow the panel.

  • Paul Stone@survivingchicagoshorts
  • Melody Angel@melodyangelmusic
  • Bemaji Tillman@bemaji
  • Vikas Srinath@progress.esq
  • Todd Walton@toddbuildskingdoms