#33: Don't Outsource Your Thinking

1 February 2024 | Issue #33

In this issue:

Don't outsource your thinking
The George Carlin AI wasn't AI
Becoming a cartoonist with AI
Top genAI image tools
Influencers: Not just for humans and pets anymore

Don't outsource your thinking.

The initial promise of technology is to automate tasks so we can focus on the tasks that matter. But with AI, we're starting to outsource the important things. Abandoning skills can lead to atrophy.

There are skills that we all had before we outsourced those to technology. For example, phone numbers. We used to remember phone numbers. Now that we all have a super computer in our pockets, there's no need to remember them. I don't know my daughter's phone number. But in fairness, neither does she.

I've outsourced the part of my brain that remembered phone numbers to my phone (whether that space has been taken up with passwords is up for debate). This is a good use for outsourcing thinking.

But with rise of consumer AI, some people are using AI to outsource some of their thinking. Right now, AI can be used to outsource some execution tasks, but we shouldn't be using it for thinking tasks.

For one thing, having AI build out a strategy, you may end up with a strategy that is new to you, but it's just an amalgamation of other ideas that have already been done. It's nothing new.

Also, if you use AI to outsource your thinking, why would your employer continue to pay you? A subscription to ChatGPT is much cheaper than your salary.

Paul Roetzer from the Marketing AI Institute wrote about this topic recently and he talks about where he draws the line with using AI. Check it out!

NEWS AT THE INTERSECTION OF MARKETING, DESIGN, & AI

🎤 Following lawsuit, rep admits “AI” George Carlin was human-written

Hey, did you hear about the latest drama in the world of AI and entertainment? George Carlin's estate is suing a comedy podcast called Dudesy for using an AI-generated impression of the late comedian. But here's the twist: it turns out the impression wasn't AI-generated after all, but written by a human!

The lawsuit raises important questions about the use of AI in entertainment, particularly regarding copyright and the rights to a person's likeness and material.
For graphic designers, this case highlights the legal complexities when AI intersects with creative content, especially regarding intellectual property rights and the ethical use of someone's work or image.
I don't know what these comedians hoped to prove by lying and saying AI did their job.

Keep reading

✍🏻 I’m becoming a cartoonist…with AI

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a cartoonist but felt like you lacked the talent? Elizabeth Yin's blog post about her journey into cartooning with AI is super relatable and inspiring. She talks about using Midjourney to create cartoons of her childhood stuffed animals, despite having no prior drawing skills.

Yin's experience with AI tools like Midjourney shows that while they can generate impressive single-use images, maintaining character consistency for things like comic books is still a challenge.
For designers, this highlights the potential of AI as a tool to enhance creativity and productivity, especially for tasks that are too tedious to do manually, but also underscores the current limitations of AI in fully replacing human creativity and design skills.

Keep reading

✍🏻 The best AI image generators of 2024: Tested and reviewed

Just stumbled upon this cool article on ZDNet about the best AI image generators of 2024. It's a comprehensive review of various tools that can turn text prompts into images, which is super handy for anyone in creative fields, including graphic designers.

The article highlights several AI image generators, like Microsoft Designer's Image Creator, DALL-E 2, DreamStudio, and more, each with its unique features and capabilities.
These tools can be a game-changer for designers, offering a way to quickly generate visual ideas, create mock-ups, or even develop final designs, especially when under tight deadlines or looking for creative inspiration.
Personally, I use Midjourney most of the time, but sometimes I use DALL-E 3.

Keep reading

NEW RESOURCES FOR YOU

Influencers: Not just for humans and pets anymore

Designers can gain valuable insights from the evolving role of AI in the creative and social media industries. The emergence of AI-generated influencers like Lil Miquela announces a shift in content creation and consumption, highlighting AI's potential for efficiency and controlled messaging.

Firstly, the evolution of AI in the creative field is not just a possibility but a current reality, offering new tools and methods for content creation. Secondly, while AI brings efficiency and new opportunities, it also raises significant ethical and transparency issues, especially regarding authenticity and the potential for misinformation.

Lastly, designers should consider the broader implications of AI on the creator economy. AI can enhance creativity, but it also brings challenges, particularly in terms of originality and the value of human-driven content. Designers understand better than most the need to balance technological advancements with ethical considerations and the unique qualities of human creativity.

You can learn more at NGN.

Affiliate of the Week

After Design is a proud media partner of CEX: The Content Entrepreneur Expo.

CEX is the place for content creators to learn how to take the leap and turn their passions into actual revenue. Taking place in Cleveland May 5-7, 2024.

Fun fact: After Design was born at CEX last year! While talking with some of the most creative thinkers I've ever met, the idea for After Design came to me. I talked about it non-stop for the next three days and I was given a lot of great advice as I honed in on what this would become.

Will you find your next great idea at CEX? I hope so.

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