The bulk of my professional life has been focused on helping to make humanity a multi-planetary species while improving life here on Earth. This personal “why” has tied together all of my work across a wide range of fields.
So … where does music fit in? And why is it such a prominent part of my life today?
Well, a few years ago one of my space friends shared part of his personal philosophy, and it resonated with me in a very deep way:
“If humanity is going to become a true multi-planetary species, then we have to send into the cosmos that which makes our species unique, namely, our capacity for creativity.”
When we head off to the Moon, Mars, Venus, and beyond, we cannot just send our scientists, engineers, doctors, and pilots (and military?). We will only become truly multi-planetary when we also send our poets, painters, musicians, filmmakers, writers, sculptors, and other storytellers. They will be sorely needed in these new worlds, both to entertain those off-world communities and also to inspire the rest of us back here on Earth.
But Why Music?
When I was 11 years old, I had a recurring dream that I was the commander of the first human colony on Mars. I have been focused on space since that young age. However, I started taking classical piano lessons when I was 8 years old, so music has been an integral part of my life even longer than space has.
When I was 13, I added jazz guitar to my repertoire, and one year later I jumped to playing electric guitar in a rock band. During my senior year in high school, I joined three of my friends to play bass guitar in a rock band called “Sterling.” Even though I never pursued a professional career in music, to this day I still play guitar and piano as personal hobbies. I also have numerous friends who are professional or aspiring musicians, and I enjoy listening to live music performances.
Being Human in a Post-AI World
More recently, given the accelerating disruption that AI is bringing to almost every corner of our modern society, I have found myself trying to figure out the best way to continue “being human in a post-AI world.” The most sage advice I have received from some of my Silicon Valley friends is to focus on those things that require human interactions, since those will be almost impossible for AI to replace.
In music, I believe there are three areas that will be safe from AI for the foreseeable future:
The feeling that a human gets from playing a musical instrument (or singing).
The feeling that two or more humans get from playing music together.
The feeling that humans get when audiences and musicians interact during live performances.
Therefore, I find myself focusing more and more on music as a key part of my strategy for holding on to my humanity as AI continues to revolutionize our global civilization.
Fortivo Music
Specifically, a few years ago I decided to leverage my entrepreneurial experience to dive into the world of music by launching a new venture designed to help emerging musicians become full-time professional artists. I called it Fortivo Music.
As with most startups, we have gone through several iterations and pivots, trying a few different models in an effort to fulfill our founding vision. Along the way, I have met so many incredibly talented musicians from around the world, across a wide range of genres and instruments, and spanning all ages. We still do not have everything figured out, but I believe we are on a solid path and will share updates in the next few months.
What’s Coming Up for Me?
I fully expect to continue with my lifelong work in space and oceans, but along the way I also look forward to growing my commitment to music and to helping aspiring musicians around the world. It is my own way of ensuring that humanity brings the creative arts with us as we expand into the cosmos. Stay tuned to see how it all evolves!
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