🔎 Really? Another Newsletter on AI?
Yes! Focused on AI, creativity and creative industries.
Substack is already packed with AI newsletters, and some, like The Neuron, Exponential View, or One Useful Thing, are excellent. So, why add another one to the mix? Especially now, when it seems like everyone who wanted to establish themselves as an AI expert did so a year or two ago. Why, then, launch a newsletter focused on AI, creativity and creative industries?
Let’s take a step back.
In a conversation with Bill Gates in January 2024, Sam Altman observed:
“The prediction, the consensus prediction, if we rewind seven or ten years, was that the impact was going to be blue-collar work first, white-collar work second, creativity maybe never, but certainly last, because that was magic and human. Obviously, it’s gone exactly the other direction.”
Altman isn’t the first to suggest that AI could be creative. The idea that AI is capable of creativity in principle has been discussed for decades—Hofstadter, for instance, explored AI’s originality in music composition over 20 years ago. However, this was often seen as a theoretical possibility, something that might happen someday. But since the launch of ChatGPT what once seemed like a distant possibility is a reality, with AI moving beyond automating repetitive, non-creative tasks. The narrative has shifted. The majority of experts now agree that Generative AI is, at the very least, a powerful partner in enhancing human creativity. Anyone who’s used tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney, ElevenLabs, Runway, or Udio can attest to this transformative experience.
As we embrace these tools, we’re also beginning to realize that the term “Artificial Intelligence” may not fully capture what’s happening. AI’s creativity often feels unfamiliar, different, even odd—but not necessarily “artificial.”
So, while there’s growing consensus on AI’s creative potential, one crucial aspect remains underexplored: how Generative AI is impacting creative industries. How is transforming book publishing, educational publishing, newspapers, advertising, film production, music, design, art, and fashion.
Even the best media outlets often miss this focus.
You’ll find plenty of articles on how companies like Walmart, Klarna, Mercedes-Benz, Expedia, or Coca-Cola are using Generative AI. And while that’s certainly interesting, it’s clear that if Generative AI is indeed a creative companion, it will revolutionize creative industries more profoundly than any other.
On a personal note, we wouldn't call ourselves tech enthusiasts. We are aware of the risks and implications, and we know very well that the tech world is far from perfect. Alessandro has over 20 years of experience in book publishing, media, and entertainment, while Alberto has a background in biomedical engineering but later worked as a journalist, author, director, producer of any kind of content, media analyst, and consultant for the so-called digital transformation. We are both in the AI field and we both genuinely believe that Generative AI can have a significant impact.
In our weekly newsletter, we’ll delve into the ways Generative AI is reshaping the creative and business processes within these industries. The challenge is to manage not to disappoint those who already know a lot about it without cutting out those who are taking their first steps in this world.
We won’t focus on breaking news, new releases, or AI rumors—there are plenty of excellent sources already doing that. Instead, we will offer insights, ideas, resources, and perspectives.
We’ll explore how, in practice, Generative AI is altering jobs and tasks in these fields. Expect expert interviews, tool recommendations, and fascinating stories.
We hope you’ll join us on this journey!
💎 Gems
Generative AI in Creative Fields in 2024, to have a map
How Generative AI Will Change The Jobs Of Artists And Designers, to remember “old”predictions
Automate or Not Automate?, the state of the art of gen AI tools and what you can do with them
💥 Impulse
Runway introduced Act-One, using video and voice performances as inputs to create animations
Stability AI released SD3.5
Gen AI for journalism: a free course by Alberto for The Fix Media