00:00:00,166 --> 00:00:02,533
create a better connection
between the brand and the customer.

00:00:02,533 --> 00:00:07,533
So I think we're looking at different ways
to incorporate it where we can see value

00:00:08,233 --> 00:00:12,300
and it can, and not just for the for
the brand, but for the customer as well.

00:00:12,300 --> 00:00:16,766
So I think we're not just looking at
AI like a blanket like replacement.

00:00:16,766 --> 00:00:19,766
It's like, where can it really,
you know, solve a problem.

00:00:19,766 --> 00:00:21,700
If you believe
we can change the narrative.

00:00:21,700 --> 00:00:23,900
If you believe,
we can change our communities.

00:00:23,900 --> 00:00:27,266
If you believe we can change the outcomes,
then we can change the world.

00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:29,566
I'm Rob Richardson.

00:00:29,566 --> 00:00:32,200
Welcome One.

00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:33,166
Welcome to disruption.

00:00:33,166 --> 00:00:35,333
Now I'm your host and moderator,
Rob Richardson.

00:00:35,333 --> 00:00:38,333
As always, it's
great to be joined here at 1819.

00:00:38,466 --> 00:00:41,466
if you're if you're watching this, please
like please comment.

00:00:41,566 --> 00:00:42,966
That's how we get our message out.

00:00:42,966 --> 00:00:45,466
More about all the disruption
and all the creators

00:00:45,466 --> 00:00:47,666
and all the brilliant minds
we have on here

00:00:47,666 --> 00:00:50,033
that are disrupting
common narratives and constructs.

00:00:50,033 --> 00:00:51,933
With me is Adam Khan.

00:00:51,933 --> 00:00:54,933
He is the chief creative officer
for Great Midwest.

00:00:55,333 --> 00:00:56,466
We're going to have a discussion.

00:00:56,466 --> 00:00:59,433
Do you see AI for creativity as a threat?

00:00:59,433 --> 00:01:01,933
Is an opportunity? Is it both?
I don't know.

00:01:01,933 --> 00:01:03,433
These are like the discussions
people are having.

00:01:03,433 --> 00:01:06,566
Like what do we do with this
massive technology?

00:01:06,833 --> 00:01:09,000
How do we view it especially as a creator?

00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:10,266
Adam, good to have you on another.

00:01:10,266 --> 00:01:12,533
Very, very, very happy to be here.

00:01:12,533 --> 00:01:13,666
So thank you for having me.

00:01:13,666 --> 00:01:14,033
Yeah.

31
00:01:14,033 --> 00:01:16,533
So I know you,
Adam, are creative at heart.

00:01:16,533 --> 00:01:17,066
Like, we've,

00:01:18,066 --> 00:01:20,933
you've used creative and,

00:01:20,933 --> 00:01:22,200
and and combine technology.

00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:25,233
You did that with Web3. With, NFTs.

00:01:25,433 --> 00:01:25,800
Right?

00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:26,066
And you.

00:01:26,066 --> 00:01:29,900
And you've helped, like,
use your creative, mind to,

00:01:29,933 --> 00:01:31,400
to really merge technology.

00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:35,166
and I think NFTs are still a thing,
but they're

00:01:35,500 --> 00:01:39,433
but in comparison to scale,
AI is just a whole nother level.

00:01:39,566 --> 00:01:42,633
in terms of, like,
what's happening with the creator economy.

00:01:43,100 --> 00:01:46,200
I just love to get your thoughts about
what do you see

00:01:46,866 --> 00:01:50,566
as the future of creatives

00:01:50,700 --> 00:01:53,700
and what role does I play with that?

00:01:56,733 --> 00:02:01,433
at everything,
I think, you know, I've been

00:02:01,766 --> 00:02:05,033
I've been in this advertising industry
for 18 years.

00:02:05,466 --> 00:02:09,400
And, you know,
when I got in, it really was about

00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:13,133
a few key principles
to making great work. Yes.

00:02:13,133 --> 00:02:18,266
And and you had some tools,
that you, you had access to.

00:02:18,300 --> 00:02:19,300
It was, it was limiting.

00:02:20,433 --> 00:02:21,833
But now,

00:02:21,833 --> 00:02:24,366
today with AI

00:02:24,366 --> 00:02:27,800
and all the innovation that's
been happening over the past, you know,

00:02:28,366 --> 00:02:31,533
you know, 510 years, it has just changed

00:02:31,533 --> 00:02:34,733
everything about how we think
about creation in general.

00:02:35,133 --> 00:02:35,433
Right.

00:02:35,433 --> 00:02:40,200
So, you know, in, in the ad worlds,
you know,

00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:43,266
you come up with an idea for a brand
and then you'd have to hire

00:02:43,266 --> 00:02:46,100
all these other people
to help execute your vision.

00:02:46,100 --> 00:02:46,433
Right.

00:02:46,433 --> 00:02:49,466
But today, I really don't need them right

00:02:50,100 --> 00:02:53,233
to the same capacity as I do,
because I have AI.

00:02:53,333 --> 00:02:53,700
Right?

00:02:53,700 --> 00:02:57,800
And I think it's going to, be impossible

00:02:57,933 --> 00:03:00,933
to move forward without incorporating it
into your skill set.

00:03:02,266 --> 00:03:05,766
because it, it,
it gives you the ability to move

00:03:05,766 --> 00:03:08,900
at a speed
in which you never would have imagined.

00:03:08,900 --> 00:03:13,966
And, I don't want to ever cut out
those that helped in the past

00:03:13,966 --> 00:03:18,366
or help build things, but,
it really is going to become a massive

00:03:18,733 --> 00:03:23,033
skill set that everyone has to learn to,
to continue pursuing creativity.

00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:28,133
But I imagine, businesses
are going to have expectations as they

00:03:28,166 --> 00:03:31,166
there's always been there's already been,
you know, this pressure to,

00:03:31,366 --> 00:03:33,933
on, on your clients to bring down costs.

00:03:33,933 --> 00:03:37,333
I don't know what your
how are your clients talking about AI?

00:03:37,366 --> 00:03:39,833
Do they do they assume like,
okay, used to be able to do this for less

00:03:39,833 --> 00:03:42,833
because I hear now
do they make that assumption?

00:03:42,900 --> 00:03:45,900
If so,
how do you navigate something like that?

00:03:46,033 --> 00:03:47,966
okay. So it's a very recent topic.

00:03:47,966 --> 00:03:53,166
I'd say over the past,
16 months, I've been meeting with,

00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,300
with most of the clients
talking about AI because I think

00:03:57,766 --> 00:03:58,333
AI is

00:03:58,333 --> 00:04:02,300
like can be
seen in so many different facets, right?

00:04:02,333 --> 00:04:02,633
Right.

00:04:02,633 --> 00:04:05,633
You know, I think we typically think of
AI as like ChatGPT

00:04:05,766 --> 00:04:09,300
or you got the Midjourney for visuals,
but then there's like AI

00:04:09,333 --> 00:04:12,900
from a productivity standpoint
and an efficiency standpoint that

00:04:13,766 --> 00:04:15,533
most people aren't even thinking about.

00:04:15,533 --> 00:04:18,533
So I think when we've approached them,

00:04:18,866 --> 00:04:21,733
we try and communicate
as best as possible.

00:04:21,733 --> 00:04:27,566
One the creative opportunities that it
can unleash and unlock and make for you.

00:04:27,833 --> 00:04:31,433
But then also some of the side effects,
I'd say for using.

00:04:31,633 --> 00:04:31,933
Yeah.

00:04:31,933 --> 00:04:36,366
I you know, that to some extent
we still don't know where some assets

00:04:36,366 --> 00:04:37,200
come from.

00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,600
Yes, we want to partner
with those that license, etc..

00:04:40,966 --> 00:04:45,466
so you kind of balance
the risk and reward.

00:04:45,966 --> 00:04:49,333
I haven't seen too many clients
I want to totally move over to.

00:04:49,366 --> 00:04:53,866
I think they're exploring the
possibility of what it can do

00:04:54,966 --> 00:04:56,033
and how we would use

00:04:56,033 --> 00:04:59,033
it to, either attract talent,

00:04:59,033 --> 00:05:02,233
new customers or more revenue.

00:05:02,666 --> 00:05:05,633
you know, some examples could be,

00:05:05,633 --> 00:05:09,466
we are
very used to going to like a delta.com

00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:13,566
and instead of waiting
six minutes for a callback, we can text.

00:05:14,033 --> 00:05:19,433
But what if you, that chat bot,
relationship was actually a 3D avatar

00:05:19,433 --> 00:05:22,900
that was built on
AI who could actually talk to you

00:05:22,900 --> 00:05:27,766
about your needs of,
you know, upcoming travel, visually.

00:05:28,033 --> 00:05:28,233
Right.

00:05:28,233 --> 00:05:31,233
So, you know,
there's AI platforms that are turning,

00:05:31,566 --> 00:05:34,566
you know, the old antiquated chat bots
into people.

00:05:34,733 --> 00:05:35,900
Exactly. To make a more human.

00:05:35,900 --> 00:05:39,166
I think, you know, for
maybe that brand that actually

00:05:39,166 --> 00:05:42,233
might create a better connection
between the brand and the customer.

00:05:42,233 --> 00:05:47,233
So I think we're looking at different ways
to incorporate it where we can see value

00:05:47,933 --> 00:05:52,000
and it can, and not just for the for
the brand, but for the customer as well.

00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:56,466
So I think we're not just looking at
AI like a blanket like replacement.

00:05:56,466 --> 00:05:59,100
It's like, where can it really,
you know, solve a problem.

00:05:59,100 --> 00:06:00,433
So you are creative naturally.

00:06:00,433 --> 00:06:03,566
And we talked
we had this conversation offline about

00:06:03,566 --> 00:06:07,233
like how both of us because,
I consider myself a creative in some ways.

00:06:07,233 --> 00:06:08,500
And I have ADHD.

00:06:08,500 --> 00:06:09,966
I have a million things on my mind.

00:06:09,966 --> 00:06:14,666
And, you know, I have found it useful to,
to actually use,

00:06:15,100 --> 00:06:18,533
ChatGPT and multiple tools
of artificial intelligence

00:06:18,533 --> 00:06:21,500
to really help me bring out
all these thoughts and organizing.

00:06:21,500 --> 00:06:25,633
I'm curious, you know, as a creative,
what how how have you used it

00:06:25,700 --> 00:06:28,933
and what are some tools that you know,
from a creative point of view,

00:06:29,266 --> 00:06:31,700
that a creator should embrace
based upon your experience?

00:06:31,700 --> 00:06:34,800
Sure. So, I'll give you a few examples.

00:06:35,033 --> 00:06:38,033
You know, I'm an artist
by trade and designer.

00:06:38,066 --> 00:06:40,633
but I also know my limitations.

00:06:40,633 --> 00:06:44,500
So, you know, one thing I use Midjourney

00:06:44,500 --> 00:06:48,266
for almost every single day
is basically a digital sketchbook.

00:06:48,266 --> 00:06:52,400
So any ideas I have,
whether it's a character or a story,

00:06:52,666 --> 00:06:57,633
I just jot it down, prompt it, and output
kind of like a digital digital memory.

00:06:57,833 --> 00:07:00,900
So I think from a visualization
standpoint, I'm using it

00:07:01,333 --> 00:07:03,166
obsessively, right.

00:07:03,166 --> 00:07:05,133
for so many reasons.

00:07:05,133 --> 00:07:07,833
One, I can't draw as fast as I think to.

00:07:07,833 --> 00:07:11,666
I know my limits,
and sometimes I just can't, produce

00:07:11,666 --> 00:07:15,066
what I'm visualizing,
with with the tools I have.

00:07:15,066 --> 00:07:15,600
Right.

00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:20,866
and it helps me do a lot of,
like, I'd say, daydreaming.

00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:21,466
Right.

00:07:21,466 --> 00:07:24,066
you know, we have great ideas sometimes.

00:07:24,066 --> 00:07:26,633
And sometimes I can't find
all these people to think through it

00:07:26,633 --> 00:07:30,633
or put it down,
and it just helps me in 30s outputs

00:07:30,633 --> 00:07:34,100
something that that will help me
remember where I want to go next,

00:07:34,433 --> 00:07:38,933
you know, from, like a ChatGPT standpoint,
I am not a writer, all right?

00:07:39,233 --> 00:07:41,500
I might be a good storyteller,
I might have great ideas.

00:07:41,500 --> 00:07:45,666
But when it comes to like structurally
writing things, I need it for help.

00:07:45,666 --> 00:07:49,266
Whether it's emails, feedback, reviews,

00:07:49,566 --> 00:07:52,133
you know, emailing, customer service
about a problem.

00:07:52,133 --> 00:07:53,900
I think that it helps

00:07:55,433 --> 00:07:56,900
me, eliminate a

00:07:56,900 --> 00:08:00,700
lot of the friction it gets me to go from,
you know, A to B, right.

00:08:00,700 --> 00:08:05,966
and it lets me, puts my thoughts down
and then, you know, format in a way that

00:08:07,133 --> 00:08:10,133
someone would want to receive it.

00:08:10,566 --> 00:08:12,500
and then I think from,

00:08:12,500 --> 00:08:16,566
you know, an AI standpoint
and just like creative exploration.

00:08:16,566 --> 00:08:20,766
Yeah, it's opening me up to how utilizing

00:08:20,766 --> 00:08:23,766
more than just one tool can really unlock,

00:08:24,700 --> 00:08:28,233
so many more ways to be,
expressive as creative.

00:08:28,433 --> 00:08:28,666
Right?

00:08:28,666 --> 00:08:30,466
You know, so, you know. Sure.

00:08:30,466 --> 00:08:33,466
I'll use Midjourney
to create an image, but,

00:08:33,666 --> 00:08:37,133
putting it in Firefly and adapting it,

00:08:37,466 --> 00:08:41,433
you know, stretching it,
beyond the initial cropping

00:08:41,433 --> 00:08:42,333
and letting me change

00:08:42,333 --> 00:08:46,366
things is actually really getting me
to think differently about, how,

00:08:46,933 --> 00:08:51,000
the creative output could be at the,
at the end, you know, instead of, like,

00:08:51,500 --> 00:08:54,200
hiring someone to do a photo shoot
with a person

00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:58,200
wearing a blue shirt,
now I can have that person.

00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:02,133
I can adapt the clothing,
you know, on the computer using

00:09:02,133 --> 00:09:06,066
AI until I see it as a viable product.

00:09:06,066 --> 00:09:06,933
Yeah, yeah.

00:09:06,933 --> 00:09:08,066
So with that, like,

00:09:08,066 --> 00:09:12,366
I think about, like, I think there's just
there's really this debate I had and

00:09:12,366 --> 00:09:18,100
I had another, a designer, on my, on
my podcast is just the last podcast.

00:09:18,100 --> 00:09:22,100
It just came out,
his view was he definitely uses AI,

00:09:22,433 --> 00:09:27,233
but his view was that AI doesn't doesn't
it won't make you creative.

00:09:27,233 --> 00:09:28,500
It's not a word I say this way.

00:09:28,500 --> 00:09:30,233
It doesn't replace creativity.

00:09:30,233 --> 00:09:31,233
it in the.

00:09:31,233 --> 00:09:33,400
For those who rely on that solely,

00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:35,933
they will be outpaced
by those who are creative and use it.

00:09:35,933 --> 00:09:37,333
What is your thought on that?

00:09:37,333 --> 00:09:40,900
Yeah, I don't
I think I think AI is creative.

00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:43,666
I mean, it has to be to some extent.

00:09:43,666 --> 00:09:46,833
I think,

00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:51,066
I think that it's going
to you're going to have to understand

00:09:51,066 --> 00:09:56,166
how to use AI to truly be creative versus
it being like a set it and forget it.

00:09:56,166 --> 00:10:01,133
I think there is an element of creativity,
of prompting and creating the output.

00:10:01,133 --> 00:10:05,000
But at the end of the day, too,
I think it all comes down to taste, style

00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:06,266
and sensibility. Yeah.

00:10:06,266 --> 00:10:10,733
So anyone can put anything into the prompt
and see a result.

00:10:10,733 --> 00:10:13,866
But unless you have taste and style right,

00:10:13,866 --> 00:10:16,866
you're only going to reach a certain
threshold like,

00:10:16,866 --> 00:10:20,233
you know,
there was a way that the early, let's say

00:10:20,233 --> 00:10:23,500
end of 21 where like,
I think everyone just got tired of AI

00:10:23,533 --> 00:10:26,533
because they're like,
everything looks the same, right?

00:10:26,700 --> 00:10:29,800
and then there were some modifications
and updates, and you see people

00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:32,800
starting to incorporate real design into,

00:10:33,100 --> 00:10:36,266
what the initial output is.

00:10:36,266 --> 00:10:38,666
And that's where it starts
to really unlock the possibilities.

00:10:38,666 --> 00:10:40,366
So I think taste helps you blend.

00:10:40,366 --> 00:10:41,633
That's a good way of putting it.

00:10:41,633 --> 00:10:46,166
Like I, I went to a,
I went to this performance a couple,

00:10:46,366 --> 00:10:47,933
I think it was last week.

00:10:47,933 --> 00:10:50,266
and, and a performer
that's coming to Midwest.

00:10:50,266 --> 00:10:53,233
Com. Lisa. Fancy five,
actually is her name.

00:10:53,233 --> 00:10:56,800
She had a, a performance
about authentic intelligence

00:10:57,033 --> 00:10:59,366
and said the age of AI is not going to.

00:10:59,366 --> 00:11:01,966
What's going to still matter
is, it's kind of, like, similar.

00:11:01,966 --> 00:11:03,366
What you're saying taste and style.

00:11:03,366 --> 00:11:08,000
What makes you an authentic person
affects offensive creator.

00:11:08,333 --> 00:11:11,933
And thinking about how you put that
and then get ideas

00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:13,733
and other expressions for that.

00:11:13,733 --> 00:11:16,766
And so like, how do you balance that out?

00:11:16,766 --> 00:11:17,233
Like how

00:11:17,233 --> 00:11:21,533
how do you advise people to think about
how do you tap into your authentic self?

00:11:21,533 --> 00:11:22,666
What does that look like for you?

00:11:22,666 --> 00:11:27,466
I mean, I think, I think
I use the same lens that I apply at work.

00:11:27,466 --> 00:11:30,833
Like if you have an idea, art, your

00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:35,733
your first go at it is like go to Getty
or stock photography

00:11:35,733 --> 00:11:38,833
site to find something
that reflects an element of the vision,

00:11:38,833 --> 00:11:40,600
and then you hope
that you can go shoot it.

00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:44,966
And that's where your craft style
and taste come out in the final execution.

00:11:46,766 --> 00:11:48,766
I think
that comes with years of experience.

00:11:48,766 --> 00:11:52,133
I agree, and there is a big difference
between good and great,

00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,200
you know, and I think those sites like,
you know,

00:11:55,433 --> 00:11:58,933
that have stock photography
serve a real purpose.

00:11:58,933 --> 00:12:02,933
But when you want to elevate the craft
and creativity, you you do have to have,

00:12:03,333 --> 00:12:09,133
and I think an element of expertise
and experience to uplevel the work.

00:12:09,133 --> 00:12:11,100
Otherwise
you're just going to get the status quo.

00:12:11,100 --> 00:12:14,166
Yeah, I agree, and I think about like what
I think about the creativity

00:12:14,633 --> 00:12:18,666
that a lot of that that was generated
out of the 80s and the 90s

00:12:18,666 --> 00:12:22,100
that just thinking about music right now
that say we don't have any creativity now

00:12:22,766 --> 00:12:26,900
we have some, but it's nothing compared
to like the 80s and 90s early 2000s.

00:12:26,900 --> 00:12:29,900
And I'm not saying that just because
we're we're a little more seasoned

00:12:30,033 --> 00:12:33,266
old a little bit,
but what I'm saying is that, like you

00:12:33,266 --> 00:12:35,633
look at like
think about Michael Jackson, right?

00:12:35,633 --> 00:12:38,133
How much effort he put into his craft.

00:12:38,133 --> 00:12:38,700
Right? Right.

00:12:38,700 --> 00:12:43,133
In terms
of being able to dance, perform right.

00:12:43,466 --> 00:12:44,466
Produce right.

00:12:44,466 --> 00:12:47,500
Like so
I do think people are had this sense that,

00:12:48,233 --> 00:12:51,166
hey, you don't need to do some of these
things, I believe, to get

00:12:51,166 --> 00:12:55,066
that authentic self, to get that authentic
kind of like what makes you great.

00:12:55,066 --> 00:12:57,600
You still have to go through
some of that work and process it.

00:12:57,600 --> 00:12:59,466
I can enhance that.

00:12:59,466 --> 00:13:03,833
I think it's people that are just looking
to think that they can be mediocre

00:13:03,833 --> 00:13:06,933
and that those people
will have some trouble because, you know,

00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:08,933
I think people can still tell

00:13:08,933 --> 00:13:11,200
when thing, when,
when there's no authenticity put into it.

00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:13,866
I think. Yeah. And I mean, I, I know I,

00:13:14,833 --> 00:13:17,833
we probably sound old

00:13:18,100 --> 00:13:19,866
saying that. Like you probably do.

00:13:19,866 --> 00:13:23,500
You know, I, I still think that people
need to start off on the ground

00:13:23,500 --> 00:13:27,466
floor, like learn how things are made
before they can skip steps.

00:13:27,966 --> 00:13:30,500
you know, again, me

00:13:30,500 --> 00:13:34,533
using AI and everything
now isn't shortcutting anything for me.

00:13:34,533 --> 00:13:39,800
I still draw every day and and use
my brain, but there is an element that is,

00:13:40,700 --> 00:13:43,600
you know, a bit speedier to market
than what I'm used to,

00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:46,733
but I'm still applying
the same sort of taste, sensibility,

00:13:46,733 --> 00:13:50,000
style and years of experience
in the in the output.

00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:51,900
It's just manifesting differently.

00:13:51,900 --> 00:13:52,500
Yeah.

00:13:52,500 --> 00:13:55,433
I also think authenticity
and or leaning have into this,

00:13:55,433 --> 00:13:57,666
but I think it's important is like,

00:13:57,666 --> 00:14:00,733
a lot of folks aren't used to doing this
either.

00:14:00,733 --> 00:14:02,900
Like in terms of like,
you know, newer generations, it's

00:14:02,900 --> 00:14:05,900
because everything can't be replaced
with technology, right?

00:14:05,900 --> 00:14:08,666
Everything can't be replaced
with a text message.

00:14:08,666 --> 00:14:13,366
people will tell you, like,
even the most, expert people

00:14:13,366 --> 00:14:17,766
in implementing technology is three things
in order to do it right, people,

00:14:18,766 --> 00:14:21,766
process which is learning stuff
and then technology.

00:14:21,933 --> 00:14:22,333
Right.

00:14:22,333 --> 00:14:25,900
So like and but people think you can start
with technology and work backwards

00:14:26,100 --> 00:14:27,266
and that's the problem. Right.

00:14:27,266 --> 00:14:31,133
And that's why I think we produce
a lot of things that seem similar.

00:14:31,166 --> 00:14:34,166
because to me
music sounds really similar now.

00:14:34,166 --> 00:14:36,066
Like for the most case
there are exceptions or

00:14:36,066 --> 00:14:38,566
there are some very creative people
and that's one example.

00:14:38,566 --> 00:14:41,633
But there others and people
I think will die

00:14:41,666 --> 00:14:44,666
for that taste and style
and that authenticity to come.

00:14:44,900 --> 00:14:45,900
I, I will.

00:14:45,900 --> 00:14:47,400
I noticed this the other day though.

00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,833
It's getting harder and harder
to really see

00:14:51,933 --> 00:14:53,900
what's real and what isn't real though.

00:14:53,900 --> 00:14:57,700
And I think like as an artist,
as much as I love this stuff,

00:14:59,033 --> 00:14:59,566
it is

00:14:59,566 --> 00:15:04,300
a bit of a battle because if you open acts
or, you know, or Instagram

00:15:04,300 --> 00:15:08,333
and you see all this beautiful photography
and art does beg the question,

00:15:08,333 --> 00:15:09,933
is it real anymore or is it not?

00:15:09,933 --> 00:15:12,033
Because the how do we got that?

00:15:12,033 --> 00:15:13,566
Like what's what's your thought on that?

00:15:13,566 --> 00:15:15,400
Like what should we do about that.

00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:19,433
Because I don't
well I think, I think there's, I think

00:15:19,966 --> 00:15:23,766
that there's a few way
I think the government and other companies

00:15:23,766 --> 00:15:28,066
have talked about, like calling out
and truly identifying what is.

00:15:28,066 --> 00:15:30,600
I. Yeah.

00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:33,600
but I think in general, like

00:15:33,666 --> 00:15:36,966
I'm questioning if people even appreciate
real art anymore.

00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:37,366
Yeah.

00:15:37,366 --> 00:15:42,333
because I can make, to some extent
what I do

00:15:42,733 --> 00:15:46,466
in, Midjourney in a few seconds through,

00:15:46,466 --> 00:15:50,000
so I don't want to lose that appreciation
for real handcrafted.

00:15:50,733 --> 00:15:52,566
So you're not sure if people do?

00:15:52,566 --> 00:15:53,700
I don't know.

00:15:53,700 --> 00:15:56,733
I don't know, my hope
maybe I'm an optimist

00:15:56,766 --> 00:15:59,766
is that people will still want to connect
with people.

00:15:59,933 --> 00:16:01,633
Oh, yeah, I definitely think that's true.

00:16:01,633 --> 00:16:06,233
I think, you know,
I've seen sales slip for a lot of artists.

00:16:06,233 --> 00:16:06,733
Right.

00:16:06,733 --> 00:16:09,033
or people just being like,
yeah, it's cool.

00:16:09,033 --> 00:16:12,066
Like, yeah, I can make it. Yeah.

00:16:13,233 --> 00:16:13,766
so I'm really

00:16:13,766 --> 00:16:16,966
concerned about, like,
you know, people's well-being and career.

00:16:17,866 --> 00:16:21,833
I kind of goes to what we talked
about, too, with, Tyler Perry.

00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:22,633
Tyler Perry.

00:16:22,633 --> 00:16:25,966
I was building,
I think, a $800 million studio in Atlanta.

00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,166
He saw saw AI and halted production.

00:16:29,166 --> 00:16:33,000
And and I think his words were like,
we have to figure out what this policy

00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:33,600
looks like.

00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:38,200
because it's, you know, this, this
this made him stop, like,

00:16:38,233 --> 00:16:39,400
obviously something

00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:43,600
that's to have a lot of support
for a lot of creatives in a big industry.

00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,733
So I think your, your,
your concerns are well-founded.

00:16:47,333 --> 00:16:51,233
I mean, I when I saw that article,
I was a little frustrated.

00:16:51,833 --> 00:16:53,033
Why were you frustrated?

00:16:53,033 --> 00:16:57,066
Because, when you look at what saw,

00:16:57,066 --> 00:17:01,166
and other people have done with, runway,
you should look in to runway.

00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:07,000
they have done an amazing
job with conceptualizing

00:17:08,466 --> 00:17:10,733
ideas like nuggets of ideas.

00:17:10,733 --> 00:17:13,400
There was a gentleman on X.

00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:15,433
I can't keep saying assets.

00:17:15,433 --> 00:17:17,500
You know, it's. Twitter,
but I just can't say, this.

00:17:17,500 --> 00:17:18,800
Yeah, okay.

00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:19,466
I think he.

00:17:19,466 --> 00:17:20,933
Was the first person who did the.

00:17:20,933 --> 00:17:23,166
Platform formerly known as Twitter. There
you go.

00:17:23,166 --> 00:17:25,700
He, he created the first movie trailer.

00:17:25,700 --> 00:17:27,900
Totally built, with eyes.

00:17:27,900 --> 00:17:31,100
He used ChatGPT and Midjourney, runway

00:17:31,133 --> 00:17:34,100
and other tools, and it looked phenomenal.

00:17:34,100 --> 00:17:36,700
It was like Dune meets Star Wars.

00:17:36,700 --> 00:17:39,700
I think he used cap cut to edit it,

00:17:40,066 --> 00:17:42,366
but you got to go shoot that.

00:17:42,366 --> 00:17:43,733
You got to get into production.

00:17:43,733 --> 00:17:47,466
So I think I worry that, like,
just assuming that

00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:51,400
these tools can replace
all the handcrafted, right?

00:17:51,500 --> 00:17:56,166
Storytelling,
is, is a little too far fetched right now.

00:17:56,333 --> 00:17:57,133
I understand that

00:17:57,133 --> 00:18:01,300
maybe he wants to cancel it
because he wants to think about, like,

00:18:01,500 --> 00:18:05,633
who's really needed in this $800
million studio, moving forward.

00:18:05,633 --> 00:18:11,533
But, to kind of pause and halt thinking
that it's going to replace a lot,

00:18:11,533 --> 00:18:12,066
I think is,

00:18:13,900 --> 00:18:16,433
it's a
little troublesome to for jobs in L.A.

00:18:16,433 --> 00:18:18,433
and people's careers.

00:18:18,433 --> 00:18:21,533
You know, we're focused a lot here
at the Universe Society well, as well as

00:18:21,766 --> 00:18:22,800
as well as Midwest Con.

00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:25,466
Like, what does policy
look like around data like?

00:18:25,466 --> 00:18:29,066
Because when we talk about AI, it's,
it's really we're talking about data.

00:18:29,133 --> 00:18:32,766
and so like,
I'm really thinking about, like,

00:18:33,233 --> 00:18:37,200
if we don't get this right to your point,
like what I, what I fear could happen

00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:40,200
is that people don't know what's real
and what's not.

00:18:40,433 --> 00:18:40,733
Right.

00:18:40,733 --> 00:18:43,900
And there
so the initial part people might like it

00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:48,300
because the algorithms know us better
than we know ourselves in some ways.

00:18:48,300 --> 00:18:49,766
But we've also seen

00:18:49,766 --> 00:18:52,933
the negative side of algorithms
that don't have any type of restraint.

00:18:53,366 --> 00:18:55,266
That is what I call
social media right now. Right.

00:18:55,266 --> 00:18:56,533
Like we we've seen that.

00:18:56,533 --> 00:18:58,500
At least that's my perspective.

00:18:58,500 --> 00:19:01,500
I can probably say
that a lot of social media companies start

00:19:01,533 --> 00:19:02,633
off with the best of intentions.

00:19:02,633 --> 00:19:05,333
I think Facebook was about connecting
the world, right.

00:19:05,333 --> 00:19:07,600
That happened
until it disconnected the world,

00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:09,700
because then the algorithms
took over. Right?

00:19:09,700 --> 00:19:12,600
And the goal was engagement at all
costs. Yeah.

00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,600
It wasn't about,
making sure the world was connected.

00:19:16,133 --> 00:19:18,233
It became, how do I keep you glued?

00:19:18,233 --> 00:19:21,866
And how people stay glued is that they're
always mad and arguing with each other.

00:19:22,366 --> 00:19:25,266
Right. So that's what they give people.

00:19:25,266 --> 00:19:27,133
And it's hacking their brains in some way.

00:19:27,133 --> 00:19:30,133
I do have that fear
that it could hack our brains.

00:19:30,566 --> 00:19:34,233
that and then it could also do something
where people, enough

00:19:34,233 --> 00:19:37,333
people get upset that they want to
shut down innovation, which is also bad.

00:19:37,333 --> 00:19:37,566
Right.

00:19:37,566 --> 00:19:39,733
So I believe the most important thing
we need to do

00:19:39,733 --> 00:19:43,033
is figure out a way to do this and still,
keep trust.

00:19:43,566 --> 00:19:46,466
I think,
it needs to be augmented intelligence.

00:19:46,466 --> 00:19:49,200
Not not not
not not completely artificial.

00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:49,700
Yeah.

00:19:49,700 --> 00:19:51,666
and I think
we got to find that balance in.

00:19:51,666 --> 00:19:54,666
And I still think people will want to.

00:19:54,833 --> 00:19:58,400
Maybe I'm naive and I still think people
will want to connect with people.

00:19:58,833 --> 00:20:01,700
And I think we should we should know
if we're talking to a person, right.

00:20:01,700 --> 00:20:04,700
Or a false person and some people
and entertainment is fine, right?

00:20:04,700 --> 00:20:07,300
If I'm watching Disney, I know,
I know what's happening.

00:20:07,300 --> 00:20:08,233
Right? But

00:20:08,233 --> 00:20:11,233
if someone's pretending to be Adam Con,
I need to know

00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:14,233
if it's you or is fake. It.

00:20:14,233 --> 00:20:17,666
If it is a fake version of you
that you approved it, right?

00:20:17,666 --> 00:20:19,366
Because that's you, right?

00:20:19,366 --> 00:20:21,433
And no, like, we don't know.

00:20:21,433 --> 00:20:24,733
We have laws against that that are going
to protect your image and likeness.

00:20:24,733 --> 00:20:28,533
But it's we're we're entering into an area
that, like you said, we just don't

00:20:28,533 --> 00:20:29,633
know like

00:20:30,866 --> 00:20:32,633
what shouldn't we do with AI?

00:20:32,633 --> 00:20:35,866
If you had to say what we talked about,
what we can't do, but what what

00:20:35,866 --> 00:20:38,866
should be off the table
from your perspective?

00:20:39,033 --> 00:20:42,100
make, make it
the only thing we interact with.

00:20:42,166 --> 00:20:43,566
You know.

00:20:43,566 --> 00:20:47,666
I mean, I think that's where you get
to, like, AGI and some some craziness.

00:20:47,733 --> 00:20:49,233
Right?

00:20:49,233 --> 00:20:51,300
I do think it's

00:20:51,300 --> 00:20:52,700
I've listened to a lot of podcasts.

00:20:52,700 --> 00:20:57,066
It's going to be really hard to, like,
crack down on what's what's real and fake,

00:20:57,533 --> 00:21:00,166
I think to a point where I've, like,
almost given up, like

00:21:00,166 --> 00:21:03,166
reading the news somewhere or,
you know, going through X or Twitter.

00:21:03,533 --> 00:21:06,333
I mean, yeah, you don't I don't know where
that's where you get that.

00:21:06,333 --> 00:21:07,700
I don't know what's real or fake.

00:21:07,700 --> 00:21:11,633
And I do think that that's going to
just totally screw up this next generation

00:21:11,633 --> 00:21:14,633
in understanding,
like what's really happening in the,

00:21:14,766 --> 00:21:18,033
in the world, versus what
people are telling you what's happening.

00:21:18,066 --> 00:21:18,500
Well, that's good.

00:21:18,500 --> 00:21:20,766
So how do you go about getting
getting your news then?

00:21:20,766 --> 00:21:22,433
I don't turn it off.

00:21:22,433 --> 00:21:25,500
No. I know my wife has gotten
so mad at me lately because I'm like, I'm

00:21:25,500 --> 00:21:28,666
just refuse to watch you
because everything is so skewed.

00:21:28,700 --> 00:21:31,033
You're like me. To a perspective.

00:21:31,033 --> 00:21:32,500
You know? So I have I have a lot.

00:21:32,500 --> 00:21:36,766
I've said often, news is to the mind
as sugar is to the body.

00:21:37,333 --> 00:21:38,300
It's a hit.

00:21:38,300 --> 00:21:40,300
Yeah, but then it takes you down.

00:21:40,300 --> 00:21:43,266
It makes you actually feel
some type of reaction.

00:21:43,266 --> 00:21:44,400
But then you go downward.

00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:47,000
Know it's meant to is meant to do that to.

00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,000
We don't need actually as much information
as we get.

00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:50,933
That's also part of the problem.
Right, right.

00:21:50,933 --> 00:21:55,133
but but I do think what I
so something I do is I don't

00:21:55,500 --> 00:21:57,900
I try not to look at the news on Twitter
or anything else.

00:21:57,900 --> 00:22:02,233
I do read long form content
and I'll maybe listen to a podcast

00:22:02,233 --> 00:22:05,233
about something, because that's less
likely to trigger, right,

00:22:05,633 --> 00:22:07,600
than seeing a reaction,

00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,666
because on social media,
the goal is to capture your attention.

00:22:10,666 --> 00:22:12,233
Yeah, it's not to inform you. Right.

00:22:12,233 --> 00:22:15,100
And so I try to pull myself back,
but most people it's it's it's

00:22:15,100 --> 00:22:16,866
by the way,
it's impossible to do it all the time.

00:22:16,866 --> 00:22:16,966
Yeah.

00:22:16,966 --> 00:22:19,400
Most people don't know
I listen to a lot of podcasts

00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:20,366
because I think that's kind of where

00:22:20,366 --> 00:22:24,266
I get my source for like tech and yeah,
and all that stuff happen in the world.

00:22:24,266 --> 00:22:28,433
But even local news in the paper, it's
just so depressing.

00:22:28,466 --> 00:22:29,766
It is, though.

00:22:29,766 --> 00:22:31,833
The goal is to depress
you and get you to angry.

00:22:31,833 --> 00:22:33,700
And I'm like, I'm not. I'm not doing. It.

00:22:33,700 --> 00:22:37,600
I remember as a couple of years ago
I called my buddy.

00:22:37,866 --> 00:22:39,866
I used to live in Manhattan, I called him,
I was like, dude,

00:22:39,866 --> 00:22:41,766
what is going on there? And he's like,
what are you talking about?

00:22:41,766 --> 00:22:43,833
Yeah, he's like, it's a nice day out.

00:22:43,833 --> 00:22:46,533
I'm in Union Square and I'm like, well,
the news just said

00:22:46,533 --> 00:22:49,133
there was a shooting here
and then a murder there,

00:22:49,133 --> 00:22:52,133
and then someone got dragged
and he was like, yeah, no.

00:22:52,300 --> 00:22:54,866
We're good,
we're good, we're good, we're good.

00:22:54,866 --> 00:22:55,766
Okay, well, this is

00:22:56,900 --> 00:22:57,566
a little scary.

00:22:57,566 --> 00:22:58,566
Yeah.

00:22:58,566 --> 00:22:58,866
All right.

00:22:58,866 --> 00:22:59,700
So what do you want it like,

00:22:59,700 --> 00:23:03,033
what would you tell future
creatives, people that are in this world

00:23:03,033 --> 00:23:06,366
that are just starting like,
I mean, let's face it, this way.

00:23:07,366 --> 00:23:09,033
Your creator, you are.

00:23:09,033 --> 00:23:11,033
You always been. It's in your heart.

00:23:11,033 --> 00:23:14,266
what advice would you give yourself
as a younger creator?

00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:17,333
Right.
You're talking to young at this time.

00:23:17,333 --> 00:23:20,233
And then what advice would you ignore?

00:23:20,233 --> 00:23:22,500
what advice would I give the younger Adam?

00:23:22,500 --> 00:23:25,133
I typically say nothing because I.

00:23:25,133 --> 00:23:27,233
I like that I made all these mistakes.

00:23:27,233 --> 00:23:27,700
Right.

00:23:27,700 --> 00:23:32,200
but, and and and failed a million times,
I think.

00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:36,466
I think the advice I'd give my younger
self is like, don't, don't cut corners.

00:23:36,633 --> 00:23:39,633
You know, obviously we had less tools back
then.

00:23:39,633 --> 00:23:45,466
and focus more on the craft
you want to be excellent at.

00:23:45,566 --> 00:23:47,833
I think I tried a lot of things.

00:23:47,833 --> 00:23:52,600
you know, whether it was going into
the movie industry or being an artist.

00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:56,333
And I think, I wish I had spent more time

00:23:56,333 --> 00:24:00,700
crafting certain things that I thought
could be really great strengths.

00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:01,200
Right.

00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:04,666
And don't be afraid to fail
and fail and fail and fail.

00:24:04,666 --> 00:24:07,700
Because I think that's where you get
the most, learning experiences.

00:24:07,933 --> 00:24:09,433
No. Agreed.

00:24:09,433 --> 00:24:11,633
all right,
another lightning round question.

00:24:11,633 --> 00:24:13,666
This is this always trips up, people.

00:24:13,666 --> 00:24:17,433
What's an important truth you have that
very few people agree with you on?

00:24:20,766 --> 00:24:22,566
truth that I have.

00:24:22,566 --> 00:24:25,233
Oh, man.

00:24:25,233 --> 00:24:28,266
As it relates to my own art,
anything, man,

00:24:28,300 --> 00:24:31,300
that I don't I don't want your feedback.

00:24:32,333 --> 00:24:37,133
I think that,
hopefully I don't get dinged

00:24:37,133 --> 00:24:40,866
for saying this, but,
when I was in art school,

00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:46,133
my professor went up to a piece
that I had made and asked me

00:24:46,133 --> 00:24:49,833
kind of kind of a tough question
to answer as an 18 year old.

00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:53,366
And he said, he's like,
let's look at this.

00:24:53,366 --> 00:24:54,866
Let's talk about this piece.

00:24:54,866 --> 00:24:58,133
are you
are you masturbating or doing art?

00:24:59,333 --> 00:25:01,933
And I was like, what's wow.

00:25:01,933 --> 00:25:04,066
And only are teachers, but yeah.

00:25:04,066 --> 00:25:07,066
And that has stuck with me,

00:25:07,300 --> 00:25:10,500
for forever and really,
I think the crux of it is,

00:25:10,500 --> 00:25:13,133
are you doing art for yourself
or are you doing, for other. Right.

00:25:13,133 --> 00:25:15,966
And I think when I do art,
it really is for me.

00:25:15,966 --> 00:25:19,100
And for the most part,
like I think that it's the one thing

00:25:19,100 --> 00:25:23,033
that I own, that
that I want to create what I want versus

00:25:23,033 --> 00:25:26,866
it being like, nipped
and tucked by budgets and constraints.

00:25:27,233 --> 00:25:29,366
And then so
I think that would be my one truth.

00:25:29,366 --> 00:25:31,433
So sometimes art's just for me.

00:25:31,433 --> 00:25:31,800
Yeah.

00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:35,200
And I think I would argue
the greatest artists probably have that.

00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,200
Like I think about
like they probably didn't go out in,

00:25:38,233 --> 00:25:41,366
think about what everyone's opinion
is going to be and like,

00:25:41,366 --> 00:25:42,566
how can I make something great?

00:25:42,566 --> 00:25:44,933
It's greatness comes from within.

00:25:44,933 --> 00:25:46,300
And then you share it with the world.

00:25:46,300 --> 00:25:48,266
It is your unique experience.

00:25:48,266 --> 00:25:50,833
But I kind of going back to the authentic
intelligence, right?

00:25:50,833 --> 00:25:54,033
I actually think we all are artists
in our own way.

00:25:54,033 --> 00:25:57,033
We are all expressing ourselves
in this world, whatever,

00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:00,400
whatever God gave us,
we had to figure out how to use that.

00:26:01,066 --> 00:26:05,533
And if we listen to too many voices,
you can drown out who you are.

00:26:05,533 --> 00:26:07,433
That doesn't mean don't listen to people
I don't want

00:26:07,433 --> 00:26:08,866
I don't want people to take that.

00:26:08,866 --> 00:26:12,566
But I do believe one of the problems
we're facing in this generation

00:26:12,866 --> 00:26:15,666
is that social media has it that you

00:26:15,666 --> 00:26:18,133
you do things
to compare yourself to others

00:26:18,133 --> 00:26:20,600
and not figure out how to get in tune with
what makes you great.

00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:21,166
Yeah, yeah.

00:26:21,166 --> 00:26:22,733
I mean, I just think that's, that's a

543
00:26:22,733 --> 00:26:24,633
I think that's a really good truth
that you have.

00:26:24,633 --> 00:26:27,033
And that's why you're able to be creative.

00:26:27,033 --> 00:26:30,733
Because if you're trying to be like
everybody else, you come up with art

546
00:26:30,733 --> 00:26:32,366
that's like everything else, right.

00:26:32,366 --> 00:26:33,800
Right. Right. Yeah.

00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:34,066
All right.

00:26:34,066 --> 00:26:36,200
You got a committee of three.

550
00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:37,166
They can be living.

00:26:37,166 --> 00:26:38,033
They can be dead.

00:26:38,033 --> 00:26:40,266
You can combine living and dead. Yeah.

553
00:26:40,266 --> 00:26:42,533
They can advise you on business,
life, creativity.

00:26:42,533 --> 00:26:44,066
Tell me who these
three people are and why.

00:26:46,133 --> 00:26:48,766
Steve
Jobs I think for, for obvious reasons,

00:26:48,766 --> 00:26:54,133
Jake Burton,
the founder of Burton Snowboards,

00:26:54,333 --> 00:26:57,966
I guess quickly because,
you know, at a time when,

00:26:59,033 --> 00:27:03,533
there were, you know, two flankers,
skiers, ruled the mountain.

00:27:03,533 --> 00:27:07,500
there was one individual
who really pursued, a different sport,

00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:10,733
and it got rejected over years and years
and kind of built

561
00:27:10,733 --> 00:27:13,733
one of the largest snowboarding companies.

00:27:14,033 --> 00:27:17,033
so I think,
you know, he's not living anymore.

00:27:17,033 --> 00:27:20,900
but I would love to know
how he got through all the tough times

00:27:20,900 --> 00:27:24,533
and pursued a vision
that was honestly widely rejected.

00:27:25,300 --> 00:27:27,133
So that would be my question for him.

00:27:27,133 --> 00:27:32,833
And then, finally, mixer was one of
the first artists I ever saw as a child.

00:27:33,533 --> 00:27:36,366
and it was the kind of art
that I just stared

00:27:36,366 --> 00:27:40,433
at for hours being like,
how did you do this?

00:27:40,433 --> 00:27:44,966
And I think, I think those three people
have always been really interesting to me

00:27:44,966 --> 00:27:49,500
from, you know, someone who,
went against the grain for design

00:27:49,533 --> 00:27:54,033
innovation and had really strong beliefs
and what great greatness is.

00:27:54,033 --> 00:27:56,166
And then someone that, when,

00:27:56,166 --> 00:27:59,600
when against the current
when it came to trends and popularity,

00:28:00,066 --> 00:28:02,233
and then just art for the sake of doing

00:28:02,233 --> 00:28:05,800
art and blowing your mind
I think is always just fascinating.

00:28:06,166 --> 00:28:06,766
All right.

00:28:06,766 --> 00:28:09,266
The had a motto and life slogan.
What is it?

00:28:09,266 --> 00:28:11,133
It kind of kind of ties into,

00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:13,733
my art, but it's simple.

00:28:13,733 --> 00:28:16,700
It's I am what I am, and what I am is me.

581
00:28:16,700 --> 00:28:18,933
I love it, Adam. Let's
have you on, brother.

00:28:18,933 --> 00:28:21,466
Thank you very much for having me, Rob,
I appreciate it. It's it's. Great.