Image Line CEO Talks AI Features in FL Studio
11 Jul 2026
Constantin Koehncke, CEO of Image Line — the company behind FL Studio — sat down for a recent interview covering the music production software's new AI-powered features, his path to the top job, and a handful of personal habits that shape his workday.
AI arrives in FL Studio
According to the report, Image Line has introduced AI-powered features to FL Studio, including stem separation and a chatbot called Gopher. No release dates, technical details on how the Gopher chatbot functions, or specifics on the stem separation technology were disclosed in the interview material.
Koehncke was direct about where he thinks AI's role should end. Asked about tech trends he'd like to eliminate, he said: "Technology should give people more ways to express themselves and unlock their creativity — not replace the very act of creating."
That framing — AI as an assistive layer rather than a substitute for human creative work — appears to be central to how Image Line is positioning these new tools.
From Native Instruments to the top of Image Line
Koehncke became CEO of Image Line in 2022. Before that, he served as head of Native Instruments, another company in the music technology space. The report notes his move as part of a broader pattern of cross-company leadership shifts within music tech, though no additional examples were provided.
Life in 34 tabs
The interview also touched on Koehncke's daily workflow. He currently keeps 34 browser tabs open across two windows, and he estimated that losing his AirPods Pro would cut his productivity by about 40 percent. Asked for the best piece of advice he's received, he offered: "Many things can be true at the same time."
Why founders should care
- AI positioning matters for user trust. Framing AI as a creativity enhancer — rather than a replacement — may be more likely to resonate with users who are wary of losing the human element in their craft. Founders building AI features into creative tools should weigh how that messaging is likely to land with their own communities.
- Small workflow dependencies can carry outsized risk. Koehncke's own estimate — a 40 percent productivity hit from losing a single accessory — is a reminder that heavy reliance on specific tools may create single points of failure in daily operations, a risk worth auditing in any founder's own workflow.
- Leadership transparency can build brand relatability. Personal, candid answers from a CEO — on everything from tab count to life advice — could plausibly strengthen community trust, an approach smaller companies may want to consider replicating.
What's still unclear
Several details remain unaddressed in the available material: there's no timeline for when the AI features were or will be released, no data on user or community reaction (including any Reddit engagement referenced elsewhere), and no financial or user-growth figures tied to Image Line or FL Studio. The exact mechanics behind Gopher and the stem separation tool also weren't specified.
For now, the clearest signal is directional: Image Line is moving into AI-assisted music production, and its CEO wants that move framed as empowering creators rather than replacing them.