Benji Rogers on Attribution, AI, and the Next Napster Moment

In this episode of Technically Creative, Orlando sits down with Benji Rogers, Founder of Lark 42 and Co-President of Surreal AI, for a candid conversation about music, media, and the looming AI revolution.

Benji, a “recovering musician” turned entrepreneur, has spent his career helping technology companies understand music — and music companies understand technology. Now, through Surreal AI, he’s building an attribution framework designed to ensure artists are paid fairly when their work trains or inspires AI systems.

Together, Orlando and Benji unpack:

• Why AI could spark a crisis in music rights as seismic as the Napster wars.
• How attribution chains can safeguard creators — and unlock new business models.
• The parallels between addiction, algorithms, and daily active users.
• What the entertainment industry risks if it licenses away its value — again.
• Why the future may split between infinite AI “slop” and authentic, human work.

This is more than a conversation about music tech. It’s a call to rethink how we protect creativity itself in the age of generative AI.