🦉 Issue #34: The only one NOT aping Spotify's Wrapped.

I don’t mean to be too cynical, but enough with the “wraps.”

And to then be a hypocrite, check out my “beehiiv rewind!” LOL!

I’m taking a holiday break and spending time with my family, so there won’t be a new issue for the next few weeks.

I’ll return on January 8, 2024. Until then, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

✨ Personal Update

I’ve spent most of 2023 building, and now I have a six-month window (approximately) where I have the time and space to experiment.

I’ve learned so much by using ChatGPT to publish this newsletter, and so now I’m experimenting and exploring. That means you’ll see all kinds of wild, different things from me.

Doing the same thing over and over again is boring. It’s why I failed as a “rapid release” indie author. I can’t write a 15-book series with the same characters, same genre, same plot. Ugh. Shoot me.

Here’s another teaser from one of these experimentations. I got more positive feedback about my comic book superhero idea than just about anything else I’ve published in Creative AI Digest. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.

Pedal to the metal in 2024!

🔍 Memoirs by Machine: Google's Project Ellmann and the Future of Personal History

Summary

Google's "Project Ellmann" proposes a bold leap into the future of AI, where our life stories could be documented through chatbot biographers. Picture this: Gemini, Google's AI model, not just digging through search histories or photo albums, but piecing together our life narratives. A chatbot, pre-loaded with our personal histories, could be a fascinating conversation partner or a creepy reminder of a privacy-invading tech giant. The project, still in its infancy, hints at a future where our digital footprints are transformed into autobiographies, crafted not by us, but by algorithms.

My Take

When ChatGPT first appeared, I doubted AI's impact on personal storytelling. Yet, here we are, envisioning a future where "writing your memoir" is as easy as giving AI access to your socials. It's a thrilling and slightly unnerving prospect. On one hand, it's an experiment that could redefine personal history, turning every one of us into a story waiting to be told by AI. On the other, it nudges us to ponder our relationship with technology: where's the line between innovative self-expression and invasive surveillance?

As always, internet comments are priceless. Here are a few:

“Yes this is ABSOLUTELY 100% so that the AI could help the person understand their own life story, and definitely not a tool to enable more targeted advertising! What visionaries!”

“Just what I need, a bird's eye view of my evolving porn preferences.”

🌐 Charting the AI Landscape: Google, Meta, and the Future of Intelligent Tech

Summary

*Note: The article is behind a paywall.

The article details how ChatGPT's launch spurred a competitive race in Silicon Valley, particularly at Google. Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, fast-tracked AI development in response to ChatGPT's popularity. Despite having similar technology, Google was surprised by ChatGPT's user appeal and sought to catch up. This urgency marked a significant shift in strategy, emphasizing quick development over caution.

My Take

ChatGPT's impact on Google and Silicon Valley is striking. Let’s be real: Google, Facebook, and even Microsoft got caught with their pants down. Google's hurried response to compete with ChatGPT, despite having similar technology, reveals the unpredictability and rapid pace of AI advancement. This shift towards accelerated development in AI might lead to groundbreaking innovations but also raises questions about careful consideration and potential risks in such a fast-paced environment. This article is worth a trial subscription because it reads like a tech thriller from people who were apparently in the room.

🎯 Prompt of the Week

✍️ Beyond Bots: Harmonizing Human and AI Creativity

Summary

Generative AI in content creation has exploded into widespread adoption by diverse industries for enhancing efficiency and creativity. However, it also faces challenges like copyright issues, potential blandness, and factual inaccuracies. The focus is on using AI as a tool to augment human creativity, not replace it, emphasizing the need for a human-in-the-loop approach to maintain originality and emotional connection in content.

My Take

Generative AI is revolutionizing content creation, marking a pivotal shift from being a novelty to an essential tool. My own experience with ChatGPT in Creative AI Digest resonates with this; it enhances rather than replaces my work. The key lies in directing AI, ensuring content remains unique and engaging.

🤖 ChatGPT Users Pulling Ahead in the Workplace Race

Summary

The growing divide in the workplace between those using AI tools like ChatGPT and those who don't continues to widen. The article highlights the significant productivity and efficiency gains AI users experience in various professions, including white-collar jobs and coding. However, it also cautions about AI's limitations, like factual inaccuracies, and the potential impact on job markets, particularly in administrative roles.

My Take

Embracing AI tools is essential for staying competitive in today's work environment. While there's concern about increasing disparities and job market impacts, AI's transformative role in coding and other fields is undeniable. Responsible use, especially regarding proprietary information, is key. It's a reminder of the need for equitable access to these technologies, ensuring benefits are widespread and not limited to certain groups.

🗺️ Content Marketing with ChatGPT: The Definitive Content Creation Blueprint

☝ This is 100% free!

ICYMI: This book has been downloaded thousands of times in the two weeks its been available. 100% free everywhere. Grab it!

After publishing 8 books about using generative AI as a creative professional, I’m focusing on educational outreach in Q1 and Q2 of 2024. Therefore, I’m giving away my most comprehensive and complete content marketing blueprint.

If you’re the DIY-type, this will be all you need. You’ll also get every prompt in the book in a Google Doc for easy copy/pasting.

If you’d like a little more guidance from an online self-paced course, or if you’d like to join a small mastermind group to up your content marketing game, I’m offering both of those as a paid service.

🚀 Navigating the AI Wave in Marketing: A Strategic Framework

The HBR article provides a comprehensive guide for marketers to leverage generative AI effectively. It identifies four key areas of potential: customization, creativity, connectivity, and cost of cognition, along with corresponding risks like confabulation, consumer reactance, copyright, and cybersecurity. The article proposes the DARE framework for implementing AI in marketing, focusing on task analysis, risk evaluation, and strategic prioritization. It emphasizes the importance of human oversight and skill development in successfully integrating AI into marketing strategies.

✨ J. Thorn Public Appearances

If you’re interested in hearing me speak, present, or pontificate on a panel, check out my speaking schedule.

Note: ”Upcoming” gigs are linked to the event site, while “Past” gigs are linked to replays, where available.

Upcoming

✅ Author Alchemy Summit ('24) February 22-25, 2024 - Portland, Oregon

✅ South by Southwest ('24), March 8-16, 2024 - Austin, Texas

✅ Idaho Writers Conference ('24) April 11-13, 2024 - Boise, Idaho

✅ Author Nation Live ('24) November 11-15, 2024 - Las Vegas, Nevada

Past

✅ Creator Economy Expo ('23), Cleveland, Ohio

✅ NFT-NYC ('23), New York, New York

✅ StokerCon (‘23) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

✅ Cincinnati AI for Humans (October 2023) Cincinnati, Ohio

✅ Fiction Marketing Academy Summit (October 2023) Online

✅ 20Books Vegas ('23) Las Vegas, Nevada

😜 MemeMe

🌐 Rando Disco

Random images from the Midjourney Discord server.

DISCLAIMERS:

This issue may contain affiliate links that might get you a discount. If you buy something, I get a small % from the seller at no cost to you.

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.