Qosmo employee interview (AI engineer Andrew Fyfe)

Qosmo is a Tokyo-based collective consisting of AI researchers, engineers, artists, and designers, working on expanding human creativity using AI and exploring unknown music. We are exploring new possibilities of creativity and expression by making use of the latest technology including artificial intelligence in the process of creation, and are looking for people who share these values with us. To help you get to know more about Qosmo, we conducted a series of interviews with our employees. The second one is Andrew Fyfe, an AI engineer.

Qosmo: Andrew Fyfe Born in 1993, joined the Qosmo in 2023. Position: AI Application Engineer

Can you introduce yourself?

Hi my name is Andrew Fyfe and I am an AI application engineer at Qosmo and Head of Technical at Neutone. I am also currently a part-time PhD researcher at the University of Glasgow.

Can you tell me about your student days? I studied a 5 year Masters of Engineering degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Music at the University of Glasgow. I chose this program as I was searching for a way to fuse my love of music with my interest in science, technology and building things! It wasn’t until half way through my course that I got my first taste of Audio Programming and Digital Signal Processing which sparked my passion for developing audio software. I then started a PhD program focusing on AI applied to music due to my interest in machine learning which I explored as part of my Master’s thesis.

I heard that you have extensive experience in music. Can you tell me about it? I was a musician first before I got into tech! I played a lot of electric guitar and played in a few bands over the years. One band in particular did quite well and allowed us to tour the UK and Europe which was a crazy time in my life when I look back at it! I played in bands seriously up until my early to mid twenties then my passion for making creative tools for artists took over as I got deeper into my Masters studies!

Andrew playing guitar in the band

I heard that you have some work experience. How did you know about Qosmo? And how did you come to join the company? After I graduated my Masters I worked for an audio software company. They built a lot of great tools for sound designers in the film and games industries. I learnt a lot regarding VST plugin development, audio programming and DSP and worked across a range of their flagship products during my time there. I left to focus on my PhD research which was initially a full-time commitment. During my PhD research I was inspired by the incredible work being done at Qosmo as it strongly aligned with my own research and interests. I was looking for a company to do a research placement with who were also exploring AI tools for artists with the aim of extending creative possibilities. Qosmo just seemed like the perfect match for this!

What expectations did you have for Qosmo? I admire Qosmo for their artist-centred approach to R&D. It was amazing to discover a tech company who actively practised and engaged in the art-making process, using it to drive innovation and inspire new ideas for AI creative tools. This cyclic practise resonated with me and stands out amongst other music tech companies. It was this company philosophy as well as a mutual interest in AI creative tools that drew me to Qosmo.

I believe coming from the UK to Japan is a big life change. What was the decisive factor in making this decision? It was a combination of a longtime interest in the country’s culture and my dream of building innovative software tools that use AI. Qosmo are at the forefront of innovation in the AI audio space and I wanted to assist them in spear-heading their developments.

Did you have any support from Qosmo? Qosmo were super supportive of my relocation to Japan. Qosmo helped me with the relocation costs, documentation and administration! Since I could not speak Japanese fluently the support they provided made navigating the relocation process so much easier.

How is it actually coming to Japan? Have you had any difficulties in your work? Also, can you tell me about any enjoyable experiences as well. Working has been a lot of fun at Qosmo, especially in Japan! The office is super sleek and a really cool space to work from. It’s always nice to interact with the team in person rather than just remotely. Although we can work remotely half of the week if we want to! There is a lot of flexibility which I feel is an important trait for job satisfaction. We go out for company lunches a lot, as well as nights out for music gigs! Hanami (Cherry Blossom season) was a lot of fun! A few beers and good food in the park under the cherry blossom trees on a sunny day with great people…. perfect! 👌🏻

Cherry blossom viewing in March

What is your current job description? I started Qosmo as an AI Application Engineer, focusing on the software development of Neutone. I currently lead the technical development and direction of Neutone as well as building the plugin backend, DSP and overall system architecture.

Andrew presenting Neutone at the NAMM Show

How do you feel about working at Qosmo? I feel a great deal of pride working for Qosmo. The work that they do strongly aligns with my core values and interests. Their work pushes the boundaries of technology and creativity which is incredibly inspiring to me. As for the day to day, the level of flexibility and support that they provide make Qosmo a pleasure to work for! It’s been an incredible experience working alongside such a talented and passionate team.

Can you convey a message to those who are interested in Qosmo? I’d encourage anyone to apply who is passionate for the arts and exploring cutting edge technologies to extend the scope of creativity. If you want to be surrounded by a team of like-minded and passionate creatives working at the intersection of art and AI then Qosmo is the place to be!

We had a celebration for Andrew's birthday

We are recruiting for multiple positions, so we look forward to receiving applications from those who are interested in working with us. (Application Deadline: June 30th, 5pm JST) Please check the details on our career page and contact us for inquiries.