Splice CEO warns AI-generated emails erode meaningful workplace conversation

Kakul Srivastava runs Splice, the widely-used platform that producers tap for samples and loops. Tracks built on Splice samples have powered global hits including Lisa's "Money" and Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso."

AI and authentic dialogue#

Srivastava has spent her tenure at Splice—and throughout prior leadership roles at companies like Flickr, Yahoo, GitHub, and Adobe—navigating the intersection of creative communities and emerging technology. Her approach to AI tools within the company reflects this balancing act: she has publicly advocated against "push-button, get-song" generative AI that sidelines human creativity, instead championing products that keep artists at the center.

That same skepticism extends to how she manages teams. The CEO is wary of artificial intelligence infiltrating internal communication, particularly through generated documents. She argues that once readers cannot discern whether human thinking lies behind the words, the quality of collaborative discussion deteriorates—a shift that proves hard to reverse. The parallel to music creation is deliberate: she sees both domains as requiring authentic human agency to remain worthwhile.

Building for creativity#

Srivastava has expanded Splice's reach by acquiring Spitfire Audio and deepening the platform's foray into generative music capabilities, all while maintaining guardrails around artist-centered design. Her conviction that technology should amplify rather than replace human judgment shapes both product strategy and company culture at the remote-first organization.

Beyond work, Srivastava finds inspiration in unexpected places—from Instagram feeds showcasing unconventional music-making to the Indian parlor game Antakshari, in which players chain songs together by starting their next selection with the final letter of the previous one. These touchstones reflect her philosophy: that the most powerful moments in creativity happen when ordinary people engage authentically with music and with each other.