With the rise in AI music soaring, how will that impact awards shows and performances? How would it even work? The red carpets thrive on interviews. The show needs bodies to perform. They even need real people in the audience to be worthwhile. We saw that in 2020 when everyone was quarantined. Would it all be simulated in the end instead? It all sounds pretty disorienting and dystopian. However, will.i.am., an artist who has staunchly supported the rise in AI, has another theory. What if it’s all going to be robots instead?
The Associated Press spoke with the Black Eyed Peas artist at the 2026 Grammy Awards red carpet. There, he shared why he’s partaking in the festivities this year, and it’s not just because he’s looking to have a good time. The way will.i.am sees it, it’s one of the last years we’ll have where it’s just normal people.
“The reason why I’m here at the red carpet at the Grammys 2026 is because I predict that this is probably one of the last years where it’s only humans on the red carpet,” he said.
Will.i.Am Says Robots Are The Future of Awards Shows
The producer/rapper likened it to the rise of self-driving cars, where we aren’t dependent on our fellow man for the same things. Similarly, humanity will eventually have to contend with AI and robots answering questions from journalists. “Just like if you were to go out and absorb what the world was like in 2022. 2022 is one of the last years where it was only humans driving cars on the streets. Now there’s Waymos on the streets,” Will.i.am explained.
“There will be level-five artistry, and that level-five artistry will be agents and robots,” he continued. “That agent and robot will be here on the red carpet before 2030, and AP will be like, ‘Hey, whatever the name of that bot is,’ and it then will be telling you the things that it’s done and what it’s working on.”
It all sounds horribly dreadful, but it’s a sentiment will.i.am has been consistent with over time. Ultimately, he views the rise of AI in music as akin to sampling.
“At the core of AI music is some developer, and though that’s their art, you can’t discredit their art for creating that algorithm to create,” he insisted in January 2026. “Yes, they did borrow from music. They did train on, you know, the entire library that humans have made and that people should be paid for.”
The post Will.i.am Attended 2026 Grammys Because He Believes It Was ‘One of the Last Years’ Without Robots on the Red Carpet appeared first on VICE.
