On October 22, 2026, Stefano Mainetti was among the speakers at “The Augmented Composer”, a major conference dedicated to the future of film music in the age of artificial intelligence. The event took place in Rome at the Central Institute for Sound and Audiovisual Heritage (ICBSA), an institution of the Italian Ministry of Culture. Official featured by the Italian Ministry of Culture, the conference brought together leading figures from the world of music composition, the audiovisual industry, cultural institutions, and academia.

Organized by the ICBSA in collaboration with Bixio Academy and Cineartemusica, the conference addressed one of the most pressing questions in contemporary music creation: the potential coexistence of traditional compositional practices and generative artificial intelligence, exploring how emerging technologies are transforming musical language, creative processes, and film and television production.

Mainetti took part in the panel “Giving Composers a Voice”, moderated by composer Marco Testoni, alongside Pivio, President of the Italian Association of Film Music Composers (ACMF), Alessandro Molinari, Massimiliano Mechelli, and Maria Chiara Casà. The discussion focused on composers’ firsthand experiences, the importance of individual artistic identity, and the role of the composer in a landscape where generative technologies are progressively reshaping the processes of musical creation.

Among the central topics were the relationship between human creativity and automation, artificial intelligence as a potential extension of the composer’s expressive tools, the preservation of artistic autonomy, and the risk of homogenization in musical language. The discussion also explored the fundamental role of artistic intention and music’s ability to interpret and enrich cinematic storytelling beyond the possibilities offered by technology alone.

Structured around three thematic panels and a roundtable discussion, the conference also featured representatives from SIAE, FIMI, Nuovo IMAIE, FAPAV, music conservatories, and universities. Key issues included copyright protection, the safeguarding of artistic originality, the education and training of future professionals, and the preservation of sound and audiovisual heritage.

Stefano Mainetti’s participation in this institutional forum reflects his engagement with the international debate on the evolving role of the contemporary composer, at the intersection of musical tradition, technological experimentation, and new perspectives in digital creativity. This ongoing evolution highlights the need to balance innovation with the preservation of artistic identity, conscious compositional choices, and the irreplaceable value of human sensitivity.

The event also received coverage in the cultural and music press, with articles published by ColonneSonore.net, BenessereCulturale, and art a part of culture.