Silicon Valley Girl How AI Is Reshaping Business and Who Will Win | Oscar Höglund (CEO, Epidemic Sound)
Jan 10, 2026
Oscar Höglund, CEO of Epidemic Sound, shares insights on how AI is reshaping the music industry and business strategies. He explains how music drives emotional connection in videos and discusses the importance of understanding value chains for scaling companies. Oscar emphasizes the need for AI to democratize tools and advises founders to think deeply before rushing into AI solutions. He also highlights the significance of grit and generosity in success, along with maintaining a work-life balance and the value of rigorous analysis.
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Emotion Drives Virality
- Viral content succeeds by creating meaningful human connections through emotion.
- Music's role is to spark or amplify those emotional connections in video.
The Power Of Cognitive Dissonance
- Oscar recounts a TV show's success by casting a polar-opposite 'cross' star to generate cognitive dissonance.
- The unexpected pairing propelled the show to massive, lasting popularity in Sweden.
Use AI To Democratize Creative Tools
- Do use AI to democratize professional tooling for storytellers, not to replace human creativity.
- Leverage catalog data and platform insights to get music, sound effects, and mastering recommendations.