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✨ Personal Update

Community voting has ended, but I have my fingers crossed. I’ve never been to South By Southwest (or Austin), and I’d love to present at this event. I’ll let you know if I get picked.

🤖 AI Got 99 Problems, But Potential Ain’t One!

Summary

So, the buzz around generative AI took a swift turn from wild excitement to a "pump the brakes" approach. It seems 75% of businesses worldwide are either rolling out or chewing over the idea of banning tools like ChatGPT.

While these companies are trembling in their boots over data security and privacy, 55% of them admit that this AI shindig can crank up their efficiency game. Now that's like begrudgingly admitting that 80s synth pop was catchy (which I have).

Despite the angst, many see the golden opportunities this tech can provide. BlackBerry's cybersecurity big shot suggests companies should dance with the AI, but just make sure they’re leading.

My Take

You ever look at a survey and think, "That's it?" This one quizzed just 2,000 folks, a drop in the ocean really, but it does shed light on the jitters companies have about generative AI. And here's the kicker: more than half of these wary folks still reckon that AI's got the mojo to boost their day-to-day grind.

Now, I'm all for setting some ground rules – a little regulation here, a thoughtful policy there – but outright bans? That’s like Twisted Sister slapping a “Parental Advisory” sticker on an album. Just made you all the more curious…

🌊 Riding the AI Tide: Don't Get Wiped Out, Dive In!

Summary

Our main man Ethan Mollick from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is strapping in for the ride. And here's the deal: companies are either playing ostrich and sticking their heads in the sand, going full-out ban mode like some tech version of Footloose, or, get this, they're attempting to centralize it.

Mollick's got a better idea: let's get messy and let employees play with AI because embracing AI means unlocking new levels of creativity, productivity, and who knows, maybe even fun.

My Take

I admire Ethan Mollick's clarity, and he hits the nail on the head with this one. The way companies are dancing around AI, it's like watching your uncle trying to moonwalk at a family reunion. Unless you are that uncle.

I picked this article, not just because it's a stark contrast to others, but because the landscape of AI is like a wild west right now. Everyone's got an opinion, but consensus? Not so much.

But we need to jump in, get our hands dirty, and figure it out. AI isn't the future – it's now.

Here are a few bonus reads related to how professionals should consider using generative AI 👇

*Kaku’s quote is what inspired the header image. But you know me. I’ll just Say Anything.

🎯 Prompt of the Week

🚀 150 Years? AI Says, "Hold My Pixels!"

Summary

Just last year, AI generated a whopping 15 billion images. Yep, that's billion with a “B.” For some fun perspective, our great-great-granddads with their vintage cameras took a leisurely 150 years to snap the same number. Man, times have changed.

If you think this is just about pretty pictures, think again. We're looking at a seismic shift in how we consume visuals, shifting the power dynamics of the creative industry.

When AI can produce an entire Instagram's worth of content in a snap, the game's not just about the output. It’s about the idea, the narrative. The power is swinging back to the storytellers, the concept creators, the creative professionals like us!

My Take

If this isn't a “drop the mic” moment, I don't know what is. I mean, 15 billion images in a year? To think photographers took 150 years to achieve that!

But, this isn't just about a crazy number. It's a sign, a beacon, shouting that the nature of knowledge and creativity is shifting. It’s less about the physical output now, because, as we've seen, churning that out is now child’s play. The real meat lies in the concept, the idea.

You’ve probably heard a version of this: You won’t lose your job to AI. You’ll lose your job to another creative professional who knows how to use AI.

🤖 Clone Wars: When AI Art Borrows More Than Just Ideas

Summary

We’ve all been wowed by the AI image generators, but here's where it gets gnarly. These tools rely heavily on the hard work of real, flesh-and-blood artists – and they don’t get a dime or even a mention.

As much as technology keeps evolving, it can’t replace true human craftsmanship and talent. AI tools, like Midjourney or DALLE-2, might be trendy, but they can never capture the essence and soul of real human creativity.

And while some might view them as harmless fun, these tools are not just toys. They're part of a bigger industry that profits from the unrecognized efforts of countless artists.

My Take

Generative text and images are like apples and oranges in my book. While text is all about predicting patterns, generative images often feel like a game of Mr. Potato Head – plucking parts from various sources, some of which clearly shouldn't be there (I'm looking at you, watermarked images).

This article really made me think. I used to believe tools like Midjourney or Stable Diffusion were “learning” from existing art, like an apprentice with a mentor. But let's face it, they're just algorithms, not living, breathing artists.

I value ChatGPT because the ideas are mine; it's just helping me string them together. But with generative art, I'm left in a dilemma. It feels less original, less personal. And yeah, the legal and ethical hoops? They're big ones. We ought to tread carefully.

🛍️ AI to the Rescue: No More Drowning in Amazon Reviews!

I'm kinda shocked this isn't the talk of the town. This AI-review summary thing could flip the Amazon review game on its head. Think about it. If we, in all our inherent laziness, just skim the AI's take on products and skip the human reviews, what's the point of even having them?

It looks like stars and ratings will be the new "it" factor. It's all about numbers – the more ratings, the more we're convinced it's worth our cash. Reviews might become pointless.

Read the full article! 👇

🔍 GPT-4: The “Alpha Dog” of the AI Playground!

I’ve used several of the LLMs, and let me tell you, ChatGPT+ (4.0, paid version) feels like hitting the jackpot. While Claude may be the darling of some novelists, ChatGPT’s results have an edge, in my book.

But here’s my gripe: OpenAI's profit-driven motives. I'm just not here for a future where a few corporate giants monopolize the genius of tools like this. I mean, haven’t we learned anything from the social media era? Let's not let that happen again.

Read the full article! 👇

⭐ AI Superstar - Creative AI Digest

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Random images from the Midjourney Discord server, #newbies channel.

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