Here's an update for you on last week's issue, which primarily focused on generative AI and its use in music and audio. The race to the bottom has begun.

The CEO and founder of Spotify recently revealed that they will be introducing a new feature: 15 hours of audiobook listening will now be included in their paid subscriptions.

This development could potentially mark the start of a decline in audiobook revenue for smaller publishers and independent authors. The reason behind this concern is that AI is significantly reducing production costs, while Spotify is offering this service to customers at no additional cost. Consequently, it raises the question of how authors will be able to generate income in this changing landscape.

It’ll take some time, but expect to see audiobook consumption move toward a subscription model (not purchases or credits as it currently exists), and when that happens, authors can expect a fraction of the royalties they’ve earned until now.

Don’t 🏹 the 📩.

Quick reminder that my new guide is out: "How to Ask AI to Create a Style Guide for Your Blog or Newsletter." For just under three dollars, you can enhance every piece of content you create with ChatGPT. There are no gimmicks, no upsells—just a tried-and-true method from someone who's cracked the code of the ChatGPT first draft.

✨ Personal Update

I’m proud to be a contributor and sponsor for the Fiction Marketing Academy online summit October 9-15, 2023. And it’s completely FREE!

Topics covered will include:

• Crafting Effective Marketing Strategies That Actually Work

• Designing a Book Launch Plan that's Both Authentic and Worthwhile

• Expanding Your Readership: The Power of Cross Promotions and Newsletter Collaborations

• Decoding the Amazon’s Mysterious Changes to Categories

• Building an Author Platform That's Immune to Rejections

🎸 Don't Fret Yet: The Music Industry's AI Duet

Summary

Jaron Lanier, a big brain at Microsoft, paints a pretty gritty picture of our AI-filled future. Imagine your favorite bands being replaced by algorithms.

Arianna Huffington is pulling folks into the conversation, curious about where the musical notes are headed. Lanier's perspective? If we let algorithms call the shots, it's not just the music that’s at stake. We're talking about the very fabric of what makes things real. Lanier's worried that we're heading into a future where songs just become another notification on your smartphone.

But Lanier hints at a silver lining: by acknowledging that without us, there’s no data for AI to munch on, we could shape a future where we're not just another data point.

My Take

Given the source, this is a wake-up call. If you want a peek into the future of, well, anything really, check out the music scene. It's a litmus test for what's coming. Canaries in the coalmine.

"There needs to be an acceptance that without people, there is no data." That is so on point. I’m still cautiously optimistic, but at times I’d rather be comfortably numb.

🖥️ Liquid Learning: ChatGPT's Unsustainable Sip Session

Summary

Microsoft and OpenAI's journey of bringing AI to life required massive amounts of water, literally siphoning off rivers just to cool down their mammoth computers. In fact, Microsoft's global water usage shot up a whopping 34% within a year, mostly due to AI's thirsty demands.

With tech powerhouses in the spotlight, it's imperative to keep things transparent. After all, as creative professionals, we need to know if our quest for AI assistance is parching the planet.

My Take

I don’t think this story got the coverage it deserved when it hit the newsstands about a month ago. There's no sugarcoating it; when Microsoft reported that 34% spike in water usage, it wasn't just some hypothetical scenario.

Every question we fire at ChatGPT drains roughly 16 ounces of water. It's made me take a step back and rethink how often I chat with my virtual buddy. And I've got a hunch we're just scratching the surface here.

Once we pull back the curtain on Nvidia's chip production, there'll be another wave (pun intended) of economic impacts to consider.

🎯 Prompt of the Week

💸 Do you know what costs more than $5.00?

• A banana milkshake

• A pack of 10 envelopes

• 50 ounces of laundry detergent

• A roll of paper towels

Do you know what costs less than these things but is worth 10x as much?

The new premium membership! It’s called Creative AI Insider, and you can get it for less than five bucks a month.

🎭 AI Writes The Next Chapter: Authors Guild in a Twist!

Summary

The fisking of the Authors Guild is not to be missed. JA Konrath jests about AI written books under his name, addressing the lawsuit's demand for consent and compensation from AI developers when using copyrighted works, while mocking the idea of compensating original creators for derivative works​.

My Take

Embarking on my author journey in 2009, Joe was a beacon of inspiration. By 2012, having him in a multi-author box set was an honor.

And so I was excited to see Joe’s recent blog post, a blend of humor and critique against the Authors Guild’s stance on AI. Though lengthy, his dissection of the Guild's lawsuit is a compelling read.

At its core, the Guild's actions, fueled by fear, seek to bolster the establishment, disregarding the potential benefits and opportunities AI could bring to budding and seasoned authors alike.

🌐 Unveiling AI: The Known, Unknown, and the Unknowable

Summary

Ethan Mollick's piece unveils the veil slightly on the evolving AI landscape, marked by the looming advent of Google’s Gemini which might overshadow OpenAI’s GPT-4.

The article captures the essence of the frontier AI models, highlighting their capabilities and the potential yet untapped. While Mollick doesn’t claim to have a crystal ball, he paints the contours of AI's impact on work and education, leaving us with a medley of hope, skepticism, and curiosity.

My Take

Ethan Mollick's insights are an enlightening read. His frank admission of AI's opaque future, even to its creators, strikes a chord.

The potential to tailor AI to personal creative work, as discussed in the Connection segment, sparks a tantalizing promise for seasoned creators. Yet, it’s a cautious optimism, knowing that technology is a double-edged sword.

👩‍💻 Does AI have a sense of humor? Elle Cordova does.

Virtual Assistants: PART 1

Elle Cordova is an extremely talented musician with a knack for hilarious Instagram Reels. You can’t watch this without laughing.

You can support her on Patreon.

Check it out! 👇

ellecordova

View more on Instagram

📸 That 90s Yearbook Photo You Wished You Taken

I’m a little too old to recreate a 90s high school yearbook photo, so I’m hoping Epik updates the app with an 80s high school yearbook photo feature.

You can read more about it in the NBC News article below, or if you’re on iOS, head right to the App Store page.

From the App Store page: “[AI Yearbook] Travel back to the 90s with your AI-made high school yearbook!”

See more… 👇

⭐ AI Superstar - Brandon.ai at AI Cheat Sheet

I’m always on the lookout for a great AI newsletter. Check out “Brandon.ai at AI Cheat Sheet” for AI news and more. All for free!

👇 Subscribe for free!

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🌐 Rando Disco

Random images from the Midjourney Discord server.

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DISCLAIMERS:

I use AI tools to create this newsletter. No d’uh.

This issue may contain affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, I get a small % from the seller. There’s no cost to you, and often, using an affiliate link gets you a discount.

Nothing in this newsletter should be considered financial, medical, marital, or advice of any kind. But we can still be friends.I can feel it coming in the air tonight.