Inaugural AI Music Awards End 40 Minutes Late in LA After Deepgram Voice Repeatedly Talks Over Presenters

The Sonic Intelligence Academy (SIQA) staged the first AI Music Awards at the Mayan Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, ending 40 minutes behind schedule to a thinning crowd. Technical glitches dominated: Deepgram-powered AI announcer voices often failed or talked over presenters, and lip-syncing with human stand-ins drew criticism from attendees. Winners were chosen by artists registered on the SIQA Registry rather than chart performance.