Content recognition technologies have been making the headlines for some time in the music industry but perhaps never more so than in 2017. Apple’s recent acquisition of Shazam, Spotify’s acquisition of Niland, and then Sonalytic are just a few examples of how well start-ups investing in this space are doing. And with Europe’s copyright reform about to make content recognition a mandatory piece of tech for all platforms hosting user generated content, there couldn’t be a better time to be in the business of content recognition.

But is the technology mature enough to deliver on its promises? Will all platforms be able to afford it? What role will they play in the smart speaker market? And most importantly: will content recognition technologies really close the value gap?

[Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]