Innovative Strategies for the Creative Industry

Designers are going to be replaced, but not by AI. They're being replaced by the designers using AI. Here's what I'm seeing: → Half the design community is panicking about AI taking their jobs. → The other half is trying to use it for everything and getting frustrated with mediocre results. Both groups are missing the point. I spent the last couple of years finding new ways to leverage AI in my design workflow—from research and rapid concepting to iteration and copy refinement. Some attempts were game-changing. Others were complete disasters. The breakthrough was when I stopped asking "Can AI do this?" and started asking "Should AI do this?" AI can either amplify your creativity or replace it—the key is distinguishing what needs to stay human from what can be enhanced by AI. Here's the partnership model that's transformed how our team works: AI excels at: → Ideation volume: Generate 50 layout variations in minutes → Content creation: Draft copy, headlines, microcopy at scale → Asset production: Icons, illustrations, stock photo alternatives → Pattern recognition: Analyze user data for insights → Repetitive tasks: Resizing, formatting, batch operations Humans excel at: → Strategic thinking: Understanding business context and user needs → Emotional intelligence: Crafting experiences that resonate deeply → Judgment calls: Knowing when to break conventions → Stakeholder dynamics: Reading the room, building consensus → Quality curation: Distinguishing good ideas from great ones Perfecting the human+AI partnership: 1. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. Start with AI for rapid iteration, then apply human judgment to select and refine. 2. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Let AI explore possibilities you wouldn't consider. Use human intuition to choose the right direction. 3. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. Speed up the creation process, but never skip the critical evaluation phase. 4. 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁. Use AI for templates and patterns. Reserve human creativity for moments that matter most. AI isn't a threat, nor is it a magic solution. Think of it as an enthusiastic design intern—incredibly fast, eager to help, but needs clear direction and oversight. How are you currently using AI in your design workflow? #uxdesign #ai ——— 👋 Hi, I’m Dane—I like to gush about UX and branding. ❤️ Found this helpful? Dropping a like would be 🔥. 🔄 Share to help others (or for easy access later). ➕ Follow for more like this delivered to your feed every day.

🎬 After 10 Months of Sora Alpha Access, Here's What I Learned About the Future of AI Video Generation Throughout my journey as an early alpha tester, I've developed a comprehensive workflow that maximizes Sora's potential. Today, I'm sharing my key insights that can help creative professionals adapt to this revolutionary technology. Key Takeaways: 1. Character Consistency Pipeline - Start with Midjourney for base character creation - Use solid backgrounds for better control - Leverage multiple tools (Photoshop, After Effects) for optimal results 2. Technical Optimization Strategy - Begin at 480p with 4 variations for rapid testing - Strategic aspect ratio selection (9:16 vs 16:9) affects AI interpretation - Utilize ChatGPT for prompt refinement 3. Production Workflow Integration - Think in voxels, not pixels - Use storyboard features for complex sequences - Integrate with traditional VFX pipelines While these tools are revolutionary, success lies in understanding how to combine AI capabilities with traditional production techniques. It's not about replacing existing workflows—it's about enhancing them. 🔍 Interested in learning more about AI video generation and creative technology? I regularly share insights about: - AI video production techniques - Creative workflow optimization - Future of content creation - Industry best practices Let's connect and discuss how these emerging technologies are reshaping creative production! #AIVideo #CreativeTechnology #DigitalTransformation #FutureOfWork #ContentCreation #Sora #OpenAI #Innovation

AI is set to supercharge content creation in 2025, offering creators unprecedented tools to amplify their productivity. As the digital landscape evolves, top creators are poised to harness AI's potential, revolutionizing their content production processes and output. Key AI-powered strategies for creators: 🎨 Idea Generation: AI-assisted brainstorming will become a game-changer, helping creators overcome creative blocks and generate a constant stream of fresh, engaging content concepts. By analyzing trends and user preferences, AI tools will suggest unique angles and topics tailored to each creator's niche. 📝 Content Optimization: AI-driven insights will revolutionize content optimization, allowing creators to fine-tune their work for maximum impact. From suggesting SEO-friendly headlines to recommending optimal posting times, AI will help creators reach wider audiences and boost engagement rates. 🎬 Video Production: AI will transform video creation by streamlining editing and post-production workflows. Creators will leverage AI to automate time-consuming tasks like color correction, audio syncing, and even generating B-roll footage, significantly reducing production time and costs. 🔊 Audio Enhancement: Podcasters and audio content creators will benefit from AI's ability to improve sound quality, remove background noise, and provide accurate transcriptions. This will not only enhance the listener experience but also make content more accessible and searchable. 📊 Performance Analytics: AI-powered analytics tools will offer creators unprecedented insights into their audience's behavior and preferences. By analyzing engagement patterns and content performance, AI will help creators make data-driven decisions to refine their content strategy and grow their following. While AI offers powerful tools to enhance creativity and productivity, it's crucial to remember that human creators must remain at the helm. AI should be viewed as a co-pilot, not the captain of the creative process. The unique perspectives, emotions, and experiences that human creators bring to their work are irreplaceable. Without the human touch, content risks becoming soulless and lacking the authenticity that truly resonates with audiences. By striking the right balance between AI assistance and human creativity, creators can produce content that is both efficient and emotionally engaging. #AICreativity #ContentCreation #HumanAICollaboration #DigitalInnovation #CreatorEconomy #AITools #AuthenticContent #CreativeTech #ContentStrategy #FutureOfCreation

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐈 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲? Creativity is the missing ingredient. Here's how to infuse it into your next AI breakthrough. Innovation doesn’t happen by following the rules. It happens by breaking them. To create genuinely impactful AI, we need to think differently. Here’s how to get there: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 ↳ Ask "What if?" instead of "How?" ↳ A retail company revamped product recommendations by questioning historical data patterns. ↳ Break down industry norms what worked yesterday might not work today. ↳ Think about AI as an enabler, not a constraint. Use Microsoft Azure to scale ideas faster and more efficiently. 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲 ↳ Use rapid prototyping to test ideas. ↳ A financial firm tested multiple algorithms for fraud detection, improving accuracy by 20%. ↳ Fail fast, learn faster failure is part of the process. ↳ Iterate based on feedback, and don’t wait for perfection. Leverage NVIDIA's powerful GPUs for quicker training. 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 ↳ Use AI to amplify, not replace. ↳ A healthcare startup combined AI with doctor insights for personalized treatment plans, increasing patient satisfaction by 30%. ↳ Collaborate with diverse teams AI alone can’t solve complex problems. ↳ Harness human intuition to guide technology, like using OpenAI's models to help generate human-like solutions. 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 ↳ Look beyond structured data. ↳ A smart city initiative integrated traffic data, weather patterns, and social media to predict congestion, reducing commute times by 15%. ↳ Combine sensory, social, and unstructured data diverse data gives richer insights. ↳ Use Microsoft Azure's cloud capabilities to process and analyze large, diverse datasets seamlessly. 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ↳ Build a mindset of curiosity making innovation part of the daily workflow. ↳ A manufacturing company empowered employees to use AI to improve efficiency, saving millions annually. ↳ Encourage calculated risks failure leads to growth. ↳ Celebrate unconventional ideas sometimes the most unexpected solutions drive the biggest results. AI’s full potential is unlocked through creativity. 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡? ♻️ Repost to your LinkedIn followers and follow Timothy Goebel for more actionable insights on AI and innovation. #AIInnovation #ThinkOutsideTheBoxAI #CreativeAI #AIRevolution #NextGenAI

This is what a cutting edge AI strategy looks like for DTC creative ops team, as of March 27th 2025: 1. Using Gumloop/n8n/Lindy to automate workflows and build agents. Your employees are using AI in a siloed way - you need coherence. 2. Hire an AI creative strategist. What exactly is that? A CS that is obviously great at making ads, but equally as good at prompting + building workflows. 3. If you don't have an AI CS, at least hire a workflow/agent expert. We have two for our company and they are cracked at Gumloop. It's insane. Almost anything you want to create, can be done. 4. Have a shared prompt library with the team. So much time will be wasted on recreating prompts. AND, your prompts are your new IP. How good you are at prompting will soon be how good of a CS you are. 5. Experiment with every single AI tool that comes out. BUT, and this is important, do not just judge it on the quality today. Think about where this will be 6 months from now. 6. You are training your team on how to use AI better. It's up to you as the business leader to make sure your team knows how to use it. Every week, try to have an expert come in and teach your team something new. Gumloop, Midjourney, ChatGPT image gen, Icon, Arcads, Poppy AI, Google AI studio, prompting, etc. 7. Your graphic designers are now using ChatGPT image gen for at least 2 hours a day. They neeeeeeeed to know how to prompt this model. Knowing how to use photoshop/canva/figma will be irrelevant in 2 years. 8. You are testing Motion's agents. We are early, but man those are going to be powerful. It has all the context you need. Performance data + expert knowledge + really good prompts. 9. Follow these people on Twitter: Alex Cooper & Jacob Posel 10. Be excited about this, not afraid. I am sure you feel fomo, but just take a second to relax. If you are reading this tweet, you are already in the top 10% of AI users.

//a16z speedrun request for startups: AI agents for creative storytelling 🎨 we want to see a new agentic UGC platform - like a next-gen Wattpad or Roblox - where agents help users compose their ideas into rich transmedia stories. think vibe coding but focused on creative storytelling why now? - humans love telling stories - but many of us get writer’s block or lack the tools to create rich media - professional storytellers in film, games have large support teams to help with writing, design, animation, etc. AI agents will soon be able to provide that same level of support to anyone a few key features in a new UGC platform: 1) AI creative assistant – an agent that helps storyboard, generate assets, code, & orchestrate elements across models to bring imagination to life 2) end-to-end workflow – set context, pull in references, & craft a story without leaving the platform. think Cursor for storytelling 3) voice creation – create multi-modally by simply speaking to the agent, making creation more accessible 4) multiplayer – storytelling as a social experience. families crafting bedtime stories together, friends building shared worlds after school etc 5) niche distribution wedge - a GTM strategy focused on delivering the best content possible for a niche vertical like anime or romantasy, rather than a generic catalog of “good enough” content for everyone the opportunity is huge - over 100M people visited Wattpad last month for fan fiction. one day, the next Harry Potter or Fourth Wing will be born from everyday consumers, empowered by AI creative assistants if you're building in this space, we’d love to talk! note: this content is not a solicitation or offering for securities, nor should it be construed as investment advice. see a16z.com/disclosures for additional information. for a full list of portfolio companies, visit https://lnkd.in/ehRfhwRw

On it's own, AI is the fast food of creativity. But that does not mean it's not useful in helping YOU be creative. First let's be real about AI: It's not intelligent, It's not magic, it's over hyped by people trying to raise money, but it is some amazing computer science. On it's own AI is kinda like that one person you know holding on to a massive amount of knowledge but never really actions on any of it. The massive volumes of data used in the models offers new ways to build queries that help us be more creative. Here are some tips for using AI as your muse: 💡 Ask for Ideas, Not Answers: Instead of seeking definitive answers (which it randomly gets wrong), encourage AI to generate fresh perspectives, insightful feedback, and alternative approaches. 💡Provide Rich Context for Meaningful Dialogue: The more specific information you share, the more tailored and relevant the AI's responses will be. Get verbose with your unique circumstances, such as your company's situation, marketing challenges, or personal goals. This will enable the AI to offer more nuanced and helpful suggestions. 💡Leverage AI's Knowledge Base for Strategic Thinking: Ask the AI to analyze problems through the lens of established business frameworks or explore how influential leaders you admire might approach similar situations. Questions like "How would Richard Branson approach this?" or "What would Stephen Hawking think of this?" 💡Engage in Creative Role-Playing. Have the AI to adopt different personas and perspectives. "What if Stephen King wrote Harry Potter?" or " How would Microsoft be run today if Linus Torvalds was the CEO?" posing hypothetical scenarios and unconventional thinking can uncover novel solutions. ❓ Question and Challenge The Responses. Don't take the AI's responses at face value. Encourage it to justify its reasoning, consider alternative viewpoints, and identify potential drawbacks. This will help you refine your own thinking and make more informed decisions.

3 AM Burps & AI Surprises: My New Creative Process? It's 3 am. The rhythmic patting on the back, the softest of burps, and finally, that moment of stillness before gently placing our little one back in the crib. In the quiet darkness, a thought sparked: let's see what AI can do. So, fueled by lukewarm tea and sleep deprivation, I asked Gemini to create some campaign visuals for a luxury hand cream brand I just conjured up - "divyam" (clearly, 3 am isn't my creative peak!). Honestly? What came back blew my mind. (See the images below!) The sheer speed and visual quality are astonishing. Implications for the Ad Industry: Rapid Prototyping & Concept Exploration: Imagine the possibilities for brainstorming and quickly visualizing campaign ideas. Forget lengthy photoshoots for initial concepts – AI can generate a multitude of options in minutes, allowing for faster iteration and client feedback. Democratization of Visual Content: While the human creative eye and strategic thinking remain crucial, AI tools can empower smaller businesses and individuals to create compelling visuals without the immediate need for extensive resources. Focus on Strategy & Brand Narrative: As AI handles some of the heavy lifting in visual creation, creative professionals can focus more on the core strategy, brand storytelling, and the emotional connection with the target audience. Personalized & Dynamic Advertising: The potential for generating highly personalized ad creatives based on user data could become even more powerful and efficient. The Evolving Role of the Creative Team: The skills required in the ad industry will continue to evolve. Understanding and leveraging AI tools will become increasingly essential, shifting the focus towards curation, strategic direction, and ensuring brand consistency. This little 3 am experiment has certainly given me food for thought. The creative landscape is shifting, and the tools at our disposal are becoming incredibly powerful. It's not about replacing human creativity, but augmenting it in ways we're only beginning to understand.

We’ve reached the point where AI can churn out blog posts, graphics, even entire presentations in minutes. The temptation is to think that creativity is no longer scarce. But the truth is – creativity is more valuable than ever. Because AI can’t replace the subtlety of lived experience, the humor that lands perfectly in the moment, or the emotional pull of a story rooted in something real. When you present your work to a hiring manager or client, don’t just show the polished AI output. Pull back the curtain: Explain the strategic thinking that led you to ask the right questions of the AI. Share the human insight that helped you discard the generic options and go in a bolder direction. Highlight how you combined tech-generated material with your personal expertise to make something memorable. For example, an AI might generate 20 headline options for a campaign. A creative human will know that only one of them will resonate with the target audience – and will tweak it so it feels like it was written just for them. Hiring managers are scanning for people who can blend tool fluency with originality. If you can use AI to get 80% of the way there – and your human touch to take it the final 20% – you’re in the sweet spot where innovation lives.

Heading to Cannes? Here’s What 200 CMOs Reveal About the Creative Revolution. The Croisette conversations this year won't just be about award-winning campaigns - they'll be about how GenAI is fundamentally reshaping creative work. Where Creative Meets Scale: Our latest CMO survey shows content creation has moved beyond pilots. Text and image generation are now scaled across most organizations, but here's the Cannes-worthy trend: video generation is the next creative frontier. 30% of CMOs identify immersive formats as their priority investment area - the leading edge of what's coming. Think about it - we're watching Google use AI to reimagine "Wizard of Oz" for the Las Vegas Sphere, upscaling to 16K and creating new immersive scenes while preserving the original magic. This isn't future tech; it's happening now. What This Means for Creative Teams: ▪️ Micro-segmented storytelling is becoming economically viable ▪️ Creative cycles are compressing from weeks to days ▪️ The line between production and post-production is disappearing ▪️ Personalization can now happen at the visual narrative level, not just copy The Cannes Reality Check: While 71% of CMOs are investing $10M+ in GenAI, measurement ranks last in investment priorities. Either many have already figured out their measurement stack - or there's a blind spot forming as creative possibilities outpace proving mechanisms. My Cannes Prediction: The Lions that win in 2025 will showcase campaigns that blend human creativity with AI scale. The real conversations will be about breakthrough creative possibilities - with the practical questions about proving impact following close behind. What creative AI breakthroughs are you most excited to discuss? Check out the full report: https://lnkd.in/eVSuWxmi Thank you to my fellow authors Mark Abraham, Jessica Apotheker, David Edelman and Joanna Stringer. #CannesLions #CreativeTech #GenAI #MarketingInnovation