Set during the Screen Actors Guild and Writers Guild of America strikes in the 2020s, this fictional case follows recent MBA graduate Emma Collins, a new employee at the MuseMeta music and AI studio. MuseMeta is designing a metaverse concert for the best-selling pop group SWOT, with the opening act being the company’s AI-generated singer, Ava. Unfortunately, Ava’s performance has generated conflict, not just among music fans divided by AI’s impact on art, but with a human artist who had previously opened for SWOT’s tours. Worse still, pressure to churn out a song addressing this crisis has led to internal tension with Ava’s creative designer. While Collins has a strong business background, she’s never navigated the unique challenges of working with creatives, and especially not in a space as divisive as AI music. Students will explore conflict mediation in the dynamic world of virtual concerts and AI collaborations, consider what name, image, and likeness means in an increasingly AI-generated culture, and ask how to balance the world of business with the world of art.

This case is designed for MBA and Executive MBA students enrolled in courses that explore the intersection of business strategy, creativity, and technology. Students address not only questions of reputation and brand management, but connect quantitative reasoning (audience analytics, engagement metrics) with qualitative human understanding (authenticity, empathy, artistic voice). It is well-suited for classes in Media and Entertainment Business, Storytelling with Data, Technology and Innovation Strategy, Leading Creative Teams, and AI Ethics. Across all contexts, the case equips future leaders to confront one of the most urgent questions facing business and society today: How can organizations harness AI for innovation while preserving the integrity and meaning of human creativity?