Hey, friends and artificial intelligence,
Remember my commitment to reflecting on AI this summer?
It’s hard to believe September is almost upon us, but I will be officially marking my inbox as OOO as I had to the Greek islands, I’ll keep this one short and sweet.
I’m glad to report I’ve spent time the summertime reflecting and researching about the new tech revolution that is upon us. We know it’s going to impact us, but right now its focused on the hot sectors of tech and VC.
How about we discuss how it will impact creatives, creators, and consumers?
Of course, some time was spent re-watching 'Terminator' (strictly for research, promise!) to closely tracking the thoughts of luminaries like Sam Altman and Bill Gates and their corporate brain children, reading scholarly and sartorial articles alike, tuning into all the cool new AI podcasts, and I even signed up for a course to build my own ChatGPT - 4 chatbot.
Yet, amid all this digital exploration, a human question persistently nags me: what does this mean for our intrinsic, biological potential? We've often waxed poetic about the irreplaceable spark of human creativity, but what if... just what if AI isn’t the monster under the bed?
Could it be the ally we've been pining for in this era of information deluge?
Consider this: in a mere 60 seconds on the internet, we witness 278,000 tweets, 1.8 million Facebook affirmations, a staggering 20 million glimpses into lives via Flickr, and 2 million quests on Google. Mind-boggled yet?
Often, our decisions stem from data, intuition, and past experiences. But, what if the sheer volume of data available today exceeds our human capacity to accurately analyze and utilize it to its full potential?
Maybe, in this overwhelming age of information and emotional strain, we humans truly need an AI sidekick to enhance our lives and our well-being.
In other words, to be or not to be?
This Week in New AI Features 🤖
⏰ TLDRai - Efficient summaries for busy people. I rest my case.
📷 HotCheck – Determines a photo’s viral potential – a bikini photo not included.
🎥 FilmFinder AI - Never let your dinner grow cold while endlessly scrolling to find a movie to watch with personal film recommendations.
🔊 Recast – Bookmark folder rejoice! You can now listen to conversational article summaries on the go.
📈 Decode Investing - Read, analyze and review earnings calls (as always, not financial advice DYOR).
It’s Time to Cozy Up to Regulation
The immense global pressure to contain (or control?) the AI that is already clearly out of the box, we have seen an almost lighting speed response from the White House. Recently the Biden-Harris Administration had gathered seven AI behemoths – think Amazon, Google, and OpenAI – for a chat over tea and scones.
Here’s the scoop:
1. Testing Before Besting: Before any AI debuts, it will be put through the wringer. Think of it as AI's version of a Hollywood screen test, but more rigorous.
2. Double-Locking the AI Treasure Chest: These companies aren’t just throwing on a basic padlock. They’re investing big in cybersecurity, ensuring the AI's secrets are sealed tighter than Fort Knox.
3. Lifting the AI Veil: Companies are pledging transparency in the spirit of no more smoke and mirrors. Imagine AI content watermarked for clarity and regular reports spelling out what the AI can (and can't) do.
In addition to the action at home, the Administration's casting its net wide and is now taking AI global – at like I mentioned, lightning speed.
→ VP Harris had a pow-wow with consumer protection and civil rights leaders. The agenda? Keeping us safe in this AI-dominated age.
→ President Biden's been out and about, embracing AI's challenges and potential.
→ Earlier huddles with AI bigwigs from companies like Google and Microsoft signaled their commitment to safe, ethical AI innovations.
→ And, they're throwing $140 million into National AI Research Institutes. Money where the mouth is, right?
→ More on the White House AI Bill of Rights here.
Bottom line? With AI regulations coming in at the macro levels, it’s time to focus on the cultural and community lens of AI. Technology waits for no one. It will be up to us and our communities to voice feedback and concerns. We’re in this together.
AI vs. Creatives – Show Business is No Business?
Looks like no news, is not good news. The writer strike continues and writers are pushing back on ongoing studio proposals. Some say it will be well into next year.
While we might not be able to reverse the advancement of technology, history shows us that humans have an uncanny ability to adapt. I'm optimistic that through thoughtful dialogue and collaboration, we will see a new approach to entertainment.
Entertainment is a sector I'm deeply passionate about. I've been fortunate to collaborate with Jeff Garzik and his new approach to entrainment, NextCypher (NxC) Productions, for nearly two years. FrequenC has spearheaded marketing, creative, and dozens of other of efforts, winning several Hermes Creative Awards in the process. 🎉
Jeff epitomizes the fusion of human creativity and cutting-edge technology. His latest project is the innovative comic book 'Looking Glass,' penned by some of the brightest talents in Hollywood that uses Web3 & emerging tech to connect readers and fans for a new type of production studio.
This collaboration is proof that when we unite the old and the new, magic happens.
But it's more than just a digital shift. We're on the brink of reshaping entertainment in the era of web3 and AI, inviting audiences to become active participants in the narrative. So, I’m keeping my eyes peeled on Hollywood.
αντιο σας - That’s goodbye in Greek! ☀️ 🌊
I’m off to reflect, recharge, reignite on a sandy beach far away from the digital world - - both for for some r&r and to give my brain an AI news break.
I would love to hear your thoughts about the topic of AI, creatives, or anything in between. Please feel free to get in touch to say hello.
I wish you all a lovely end to your summer and time well spent with friends and family. The best is yet to come.
Jules
P.S. 3 things I’m recommending this month:
20VC Podcast: The Biggest Lies of Silicon Valley, Why Entrepreneurship is Not For Everyone, Why VCs are Out of Touch, Why Many Would Be Great Entrepreneurs Will Burn Out, Why You Should Let Your Children Suffer and Why You Will Choose The Wrong Partner with Nick Huber.
A bit of a mouthful but this one is a great listen, especially for new founders and startup folks.
How to be Successful via Sam Altman’s blog. Read his editors list at the bottom. No ChatGPT?
Just ordered Cant Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation by Anne Helen Peterson after reading In Praise of the Meandering Career. Offers an interesting perspective on how Millennials are the first generation to be walking ‘human capital’: subjects to be optimized for better performance in the economy. If true, I wonder how AI will dent this generations identity?