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In his role as a creative director at Apple Music, Adam R. Garcia ’06 leads a team focused on the future of music. And while he can’t reveal company secrets, he can report that he’s not afraid of what algorithms, A.I., and machine learning might do to our listening experiences.

“I think I’ve been reading science fiction for long enough that maybe I’m jaded about the cynical, dystopian paradigms of the future,” he says. “I feel more inspired right now than ever about human connection, and all the ways we can pursue things we love so much more easily. Now I can pick up a guitar, record myself, make music, and publish it immediately, all on my computer. Those are the things I get excited about.”

Music was a major focus of Garcia’s years at 51���Ϲ���, where he designed CD covers for an indie label, produced local hip-hop shows, and released an album all while he was still a student. After graduating with a degree in graphic design, Garcia set off to diversify his portfolio, working at agencies, landing a gig at Nike, and launching his own shop in Portland, with fellow 51���Ϲ��� grad Anton Pearson ‘12. Now at Apple Music, he and his content design team are responsible for connecting the platform’s 100 million songs with its 100 million followers. “One thing we’re really proud of is the way we rely on human curation,” he says, putting new music recommendations in front of listeners who can often feel stuck on repeat on other platforms. “If you only listen to things inside your bubble, it makes the bubbles smaller and harder, which probably isn’t a good thing for society,” he says, “When it comes to finding things you love, you have to keep a balance.”

In his free time, Garcia can be found recording , an Apple Podcast in which he reads favorite selections from his own bookshelves in Los Angeles. He also recommends the following for the future-minded fellow alumni:

• Interdependence, a podcast by composer and sound artist Holly Herndon
• Ways of Being: Beyond Human Intelligence by James Bridle
• MasterClass: “If you have the money, invest in a subscription,” he says. “No matter the topic, it’s always about the creative process.”