Strands of Genius: AI Generated Garbage is Polluting Our Culture, AI Done Right, Beck's Autonomous Beer
Guest curated by David Berkowitz, Founder of AI Marketers Guild
Each year we aim to highlight 50 creative thinkers that have inspired us by giving them the opportunity to guest curate this newsletter, Strands of Genius. This edition is guest curated by David Berkowitz, Founder of AI Marketers Guild.
:: A BIT MORE ABOUT GUEST CURATOR, DAVID BERKOWITZ ::
LOCATION: NYC
I'm a long-time Genius Steals fan who borrowed Rosie's genius as much as possible when we worked together at the agency 360i. Now, I run communities -- AI Marketers Guild, Serial Marketers, and the FOAF.pro fraction-of-a-fractional CXO network. For the record, I'm not THAT David Berkowits.
Editor’s Note (Rosie): Berky and I met when we were working together at 360i. I loved how he made being geeky feel cool, and also relevant to everyone else's life. He was more of a grown up in terms of seniority, but still a child at heart. I can't tell you a specific phrase that I remember him saying, but I can tell you the feeling I always got when I was with him: a shared excitement and enthusiasm. I could always count on Berky to be excited about something with me! And I'm so thrilled to have him curating again today :)
:: THE LINKS ::
AI GENERATED GARBAGE IS POLLUTING OUR CULTURE
This feels like a seminal piece that describes not just our present but our potential future. It's one of those Scrooge moments, or perhaps “It's a Wonderful Life.” The present could involve generative AI creating a digital garbage dump. Or we can harness AI's power for the better. Based on how the world works and how everything else goes, both extremes will be true. See also, Newton's Third Law of Motion. (NY Times)
AI DONE RIGHT
This product feature for Google's camera and image products is the epitome of AI done right. Google acknowledged that its cameras (and hardly only its cameras) don’t often show people of darker skin tones in the right color and light, so it adjusted its algorithms in various ways to let people express themselves better and more faithfully. It's inclusiveness done right. (Real Tone)
BECK’S AUTONOMOUS BEER
This is one of my favorite examples of a brand using generative AI, as they explored how it can work in all stages of the process: brainstorming, idea selection, the recipe, the product name, its manifesto, the logo, the tagline, can design, website design, the ad campaign, a radio ad, a film script, influencer selection, and then actually launching it. I'm not convinced they'll ditch all their old processes to do this again, but I bet this will be an experiment that they and many others will learn from. (Becks)
Looking for more from David? Coming Friday, look for an interview from him in your inbox!
:: AND NOW… SOME FAST FAVORITES ::
:: Game :: Monopoly Deal
:: City :: NYC
:: Book :: Goodbye, Columbus
:: Podcast :: I don't listen to podcasts — I prefer audiobooks -- “The Old Drift” by Namwali Serpell may be my favorite!
:: Song :: Graceland by Paul Simon
:: MY PRIZED COLLECTION ::
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It's called Genius Steals because we believe ideas are new combinations and that nothing can come from nothing. But copying is lazy. We believe the best way to innovate is to look at the best of that which came before and combine those elements into new solutions.
Co-Founders Faris & Rosie are award-winning strategists and creative directors, writers, consultants and public speakers who have been living on the road/runway since March 2013, working with companies all over the world. Our Director of Operations is nomadic like us, our accounting team is based out of Washington, our company is registered in Tennessee, and our collaborators are all over the world. Being nomadic allows us to go wherever clients need us to be, and to be inspired by the world in between.
Hit reply and let’s talk about how we might be able to work together :)