Israeli Music Company Session 42 Uses AI Technology to Resurrect Deceased Stars in Song

variety.com:

Malina Saval Associate Editor, Features Business entrepreneur Oudi Antebi spent 18 years in the United States and 20 years in the high-tech space before returning to his native Israel to kickstart a new venture, Session 42, a music production shingle that harnesses the ballooning globalwide power of AI technology.  “I was reading about how AI is just changing everything, and I decided that I wanted to start a company with a focus on creating music, a company that blends technology and music together,” says Antebi.  “I knew that I wanted to find the best technology and AI out there and use this technology and AI to unleash creativity.”  To manifest this vision, Antebi, CEO of Tel Aviv-based Session 42, joined forces with music industry vet Amit Shine, who serves as the company’s COO, and a trio of hit-making Israeli music producers: Tal Forer, Yinon Yahel and Stav Berger.

This month, Session 42 released its most ambitious project to date: an AI song duet titled “Kan Le Olam” (“Here Forever”). The track and attendant video, recorded by using the magic of technology to recreate the voices of deceased Israeli music legends Zohar Argov (a pioneer in the arena of Mizrahi music) and Ofra Haza — dubbed in music industry circles as “the Madonna of Israel” –dropped last month in honor of Israel’s 75th anniversary.

The song became an instant viral hit.  “I knew we needed to start with the families of Zohar Argov and Ofra Haza because of ethical questions,” says Antebi. “I said, let’s let the families decide if this is what they want to do.

So we went to them and told them we had a special song, about Israel’s independence, and we want to use these two icons. We told them we would not release the song unless it does the artists