Kakul Srivastava, chief executive of the music-creation platform Splice, told The Verge that the growing use of AI-written emails is undermining the quality of conversation among colleagues. She argues that when a message can no longer be traced to a specific author, the ensuing discussion shifts from substance to speculation, weakening collaboration.
Before joining Splice, Srivastava held senior positions at Flickr, Yahoo, GitHub and Adobe, giving her a long track record at the crossroads of technology and the arts. Under her leadership, Splice expanded its catalogue by acquiring Spitfire Audio and has begun experimenting with generative-AI tools while maintaining a remote-first work model that replaces hallway chats with deliberate, written debates.
Srivastava has consistently emphasized that AI should augment rather than replace human creativity in music production. She cited a recent interview on Decoder where she warned against “push-button, get-song” solutions that bypass artistic input, and she insists Splice’s AI offerings are designed to keep the creator at the core of the process.
She explained, “Once you can’t tell whether there’s a person behind the words, the conversation you have about it becomes a different conversation, and a worse one,” as reported by The Verge. The CEO believes that the loss of identifiable authorship in internal communication can erode trust and impede the iterative thinking that drives innovation.
Srivastava also highlighted the richness of organic musical exchange she observes on platforms like Instagram, where users share unexpected genres and collaborative games such as the Indian singing contest Antakshari. These examples illustrate how spontaneous, human-driven interaction can spark creativity in ways that algorithmic suggestions cannot replicate.
Reflecting on her early work at Tiny Speck, the precursor to Slack, Srivastava noted that the company’s failure to anticipate shifts away from Flash and toward mobile gaming taught her the importance of aligning technology with emerging market trends. She sees that lesson as relevant to today’s AI hype, urging firms to consider long-term cultural impact.
In a lighter moment, Srivastava mentioned her dislike for a cup warmer, noting that it performs its intended function without adding any extra value. The comment underscores her broader view that tools should serve clear purposes without unnecessary complexity.
Overall, Srivastava frames technology as a means to amplify human expression rather than replace it. She believes that preserving authentic, person-to-person dialogue,whether in email or music,remains essential for fostering the kind of collaborative spirit that drives both artistic and business success.