You are going to get copied, if not your actual exterior (we’re talking lookalikes and deepfake), but also your creative work. However this is nothing new. Since the dawn of time, all the greats and the people in the middle of the genius idea spectrum have all been copied. Now well into the modern age, people continue to copy other people’s inventions, ideas, words and stories. Because it is easy and it is there to be copied.
Fashion trends in itself is copycat 101. Every designer follows another designer, nobody is reinventing the collar. Would there be a Project Runway if Cleopatra never wore a toga?
One of the best work advice I got from a friend/mentor was “figure out who your competition is and whatever they do best, do the total opposite of that and better.” AI is now your biggest competition that you’ll ever meet. And it’s not going away. The very smart people will hopefully get it and will not allow the works of an AI image to fool them out of money or valuable time. The human touch is what will forever be lacking in AI’s efforts to dominate everyday tasks and bigger projects that will sustain in everyone’s memory. The next time you visit an art museum, stare extra longer, concentrate on the work in front of you. Observe the human touch that went into the construction. Every minute that went into each brushstroke or sculpture, will forever be something magnificent.
As more high street brands and probably luxury as well, start to use AI images instead of humans in their campaigns, there will be some pullback from customers. It won’t hurt sales as much, but I would assume it’ll hurt them in the brand loyalty aspect. And at some point you’re going to need to start asking yourself, “am I buying the product or are am I buying the brand?”
My prediction is that by 2028, nostalgia will be the biggest category trend across the board. From early aughts phones, gadgets, films, cars, print magazines, every merchandise produced before the great pandemic of 2020 will be a high commodity of coveted finds. Gen Z will especially crave to know more of how life was truly like before 2020, before everything was 24/7 voice-activated, self-driving and not a technological imposter that is fed to us on a daily basis. A generation that wants for nothing, because everything is at their digital disposal, will eventually starve with curiosity of what it was like to experience things.
As soon as people start mistaking generative AI as reality, that’s how we’ll know that we’ve completely lost the plot. We’re already starting to as we see brands trying to pass off a creative social campaigns utilizing AI photography, some people love it while others don’t care for the production. This also impacts many, many jobs. Even Bill Gates has recently predicted that within 10 years, AI will replace many doctors and teachers. And with that, I can only say that creatives cannot lose the plot, because in the big, big, big picture, life expands with (drumroll….) creativity. There would be no history without the arts. The great arts of our time has showed proof of reality that once was, the statue of David, the Mona Lisa, the Sistine Chapel, everything from the past was built with hands and a human vision.
As a creative, your winning move over the competition, which is AI, is to make things. Going back to the drawing board is a good thing, it means that you’re still doing what you love. If you want to create something that will be long lasting and contribute to the human arts (yes, that’s totally going to be an everyday term, it’s already here) then make something using your heart, brain and personal experiences. Whatever it is, it will be great, because it won’t be perfect. It won’t be AI. It will be better, it will be coveted.
What AI should do:
Help find your lost pet (imo)
LINKED IN // Articles of interest
A24 is heading into the music industry with an upcoming launch of a social music channel
1 Granary’s Substack on how AI is already affecting the state of fashion shoots, commentary from industry insiders
NOW HIRING
Pressed Juicery is hiring a Graphic Designer - Temp (Los Angeles/hybrid)
Reformation is hiring a Freelance Graphic Designer (Los Angeles/hybrid)
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5 GOOD THINGS
go see the Willem De Kooning exhibition at the Gagosian Gallery
Hacks is back on Max! (Almost rhymed). If there was 1 show that could run all year long, I wish it was Hacks.
For all the non-fast fashion girlies, HommeGirls is opening a store in Chinatown (Walker St) come April 24th
A new discovery of a candle brand that isn’t overly expensive for the standard size and I love the design —- The New Savant, Sapphics in the City candle is a recent purchase, because my new excuse is that I cannot write up to a 1,000 words daily without the right candle giving the mood *women-owned*
My new summer carry-on tote from the SSENSE sale, $90 from $200
No Sunday 5 Good Things edition this week, I’ve escaped the city for the holiday weekend. Happy Easter, happy end of Passover and just happy spring weekend to all!
enjoy your Cadbury chocolates,
DNAMAG
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