Video Killed the Radio Star
Entering a new era of AI video tools
December 5, 2023
For those of you old enough (or culturally sophisticated enough), you know that I’m referencing the 1979 song by the Buggles. While it was a big player in MTVs launch in 1981, it originally came out in 1979. The Buggles wrote “Video Killed the Radio Star” as a direct response to the rapid changes in technology and its direct effects on culture, the arts, and society. 45 years later, it seems we are once again at a tipping point with generative AI tools. I’m not sure who’s going to die first, bit we’re definitely in a new era of video something or other.
A Sports Analogy for Understanding AI Tools
Everyone has the super-shoes now. If you’re not familiar, Nike has revolutionized running shoe design in the last five years and allowed both elite and neighborhood runners to improve their times by 3-4%. All the other shoe companies have now caught up with similar products, and we are living in the super-shoe era. If you want to qualify for the Olympics or the Boston marathon, or just brag about your 10k time, you have to get a pair because everyone else is wearing them. The same conditions exist for AI tools now and if you’re not using them, you’re probably at a disadvantage. In the best article I read this week, the Harvard Business Review uses this same metaphor, but extends it to three levels of awareness on how to use AI tools in your professional development. Steroids, super-shoes, and coaching. If you’re one of my current students, this will be required reading for winter break. Check it out
Runway and Getty Images Partner Up
This is a tipping point moment for AI video. I can only assume RunwayML has some advanced and still unseen technology up it’s sleeve. If this means what I think it means, AI generated video is about to go mainstream. Check it out
Runway is partnering with Getty Images to launch a new video model for enterprise customers, addressing companies’ ever-growing need for high-quality, customized content. This model will combine the power of Runway with Getty Images’ world-class fully licensed creative content library, providing a new way to bring ideas and stories to life through video in enterprise ready and safe ways.
Note: Getty Images is still suing Stability AI for copyright infringement
Pika Labs and Midjourney Updates Real Soon
Pika labs is supposed to start rolling out it’s major update this week, and it will be a real game-changer. Midjourney is supposed to release it’s new text-rendering ability as well as a new interface in the browser (goodbye discord) and that will be a real game-changer as well. Oops, I promised to stop over-using that term earlier this week. Oh yeah, and Midjourney is bringing text to video and text to 3D in 2024…
Inspirational Art + Tech Moment of the Week: Lysterfield Lake
I could try to describe it, but I couldn’t do it justice. You should just watch it. And then, if you’re feeling pretty smart, you could read how he built it. I understand some of this stuff, but I couldn’t explain it to you.
Better ChatGPT Prompts
In my never ending quest to become a more educated person, I’m bookmarking ad saving a lot of these articles about how to get more out of ChatGPT. If you’re new here, you should check out this article that reminds us to: Don’t ask questions, treat ChatGPT like a person, provide context, promote it to the role of consultant, and remember to push back. Check it out
Animate Anyone
Were about to enter a new era of deepfakes everywhere. Starting with just a still image of yourself (or your frenemy), anyone can generate a dancing, running, active video. While it’s still only a research paper and not quite a product yet, it’s being funded by ByteDance who are the owners of TikTok, which means it will be mainstream soon. It’s really worth taking a look, just to see the quality of the demo.
The First of the 2024 Trend Predictions: Thalion
It’s that time of year, where everyone attention hungry tech influencer makes their predictions for the coming year. I’ll try and post a new one with each newsletter and we’ll see if any patterns emerge. If you’re in a TLDR; mood, let me summarize the salient points for you:
AI will be everywhere in 2024 (duh!)
The rise of the AI designer
A terrible time to be a junior/entry level designer
AR/VR are back, baby!
No Code tools: Framer vs. Webflow smackdown!
Read the full set of predictions from Thalion
2023 UX Design Tools Survey
Not exactly AI related, but they have some AI related questions and it’s a survey I look forward to every year. Once again, I’ll summarize:
The tool everyone uses? Figma (duh!)
Use of AI tools in UI design? Very low.
AI tool that’s worth looking into? UIzard
Hot new kid on the block? Framer
If you’re a working professional, this might be obvious to you, but if you’re a current student, it’s required reading.
That’s a wrap! Are you the AI expert in your workplace now? Is your boss always asking you to take over the meeting? Do people come to you, asking for recommendations on which AI tool to use? I know, it must be tiring. If these people are sucking up your precious time, just tell them to subscribe, so you can get back to doing what you were doing.