Abbey Road Studio’s Sally Davies announced as the UK Government’s AI Champion for the Creative Industries 

 

Sally Davies, MD Abbey Road – on the steps of Abbey Road Studios, London

London, 30 January 2026: Sally Davies, Managing Director of Abbey Road Studios, has been appointed the AI Champion for the Creative Industries by the UK’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport.  

In this role, Davies will help accelerate the responsible adoption of AI and ensure the UK harnesses AI’s potential for economic growth and job creation. 

Abbey Road Studios is the world’s first and most iconic music recording studio. Alongside legendary recording spaces, it also has a storied history of developing ground-breaking technology via its innovation team Abbey Road REDD Labs. 

A member of the Universal Music Group (UMG) family, Abbey Road Studios shares UMG’s commitment to responsible AI. UMG has been at the forefront of advocating for responsible AI, entering into AI-related agreements with BandLab, Klay Vision, Meta, NVIDIA, Pro-Rata, SoundLabs, Splice, Stability AI, TikTok, Udio, and YouTube. 

Commenting on her appointment, Sally Davies said:  

“I’m truly honoured to be appointed AI Champion for the Creative Industries at such a pivotal moment for our sector and for society. The creative industries have always thrived by embracing new tools and technologies, and ensuring we continue to do so with care, responsibility and creativity has never been more important. 

Abbey Road Studios has a long history of bringing artists, technologists and innovators together to push boundaries in ways that serve creativity first. I’m excited to draw on that experience, and the studio’s track record, to help shape a future where AI supports and strengthens the creative ecosystem. 

I’m very much looking forward to working closely with DCMS, colleagues across government, and partners from across the creative industries in the year ahead.” 

 

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About Abbey Road Studios  

Abbey Road is the home of music-making. We are the world’s first and most iconic recording studio, and a leader in sonic innovation, with the experience and craft to bring out the best music in any vision or idea.  

For almost 94 years, we’ve welcomed the artists who have shaped music and popular culture. From the greats – The Beatles, Fela Kuti, Pink Floyd, Kate Bush, Yehudi Menuhin, Massive Attack, Amy Winehouse, Oasis, Nick Cave, Stevie Wonder and Shirley Bassey, to the legends of today – Lady Gaga, Little Simz, The Smile, Florence, Dave, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Frank Ocean, Ezra Collective, Sam Smith, Morgan Wallen and Stormzy. 

Once a nine-bedroom house, we’re now a global community of artists, experts, inventors, and engineers, whose technology and expertise can be accessed from anywhere in the world. Alongside our studios and writing spaces, we work to develop groundbreaking technology that continues to change the future of music-making. Through our learning programmes and workshops, we’re creating one-off experiences and empowering a new generation of talent. 

This home has created soundtracks to nights in, nights out, heartbreaks, and first loves. Epic adventures and life-affirming stories. We’ve been home to the greatest film music of the last 45 years. From Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Star Wars and Harry Potter movies, and The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, to Barbie, Gravity, The Shape of Water, Tar, Wakanda Forever, Frankenstein, and all the Marvel titles. Across genres, generations, and continents, Abbey Road helps music makers move the world. Come on in.  

 

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