📣 In this issue:
Spotify Ai playlists, fake Midjourney, Ai Toolitis, Duck Tales, and Gigantic Eyes.
📰 News-To-Know
1
The 2024 Annecy Festival has chosen to include generative AI-created films in its official selection, reflecting its adaptative approach to emerging technologies in animation. Artistic Director Marcel Jean emphasizes that this inclusion is intended to provoke discussion and reflection within the industry about the role and impact of AI in creative processes. Despite some backlash from traditionalists in the animation community, who argue this technology might undermine human artists, Annecy's stance is seen as a move to foster debate and explore new artistic frontiers.
Context: The Annecy Festival's decision to include AI-generated content highlights a pivotal moment in the animation industry, as it grapples with the integration of new technologies. The festival serves as a barometer for the industry's openness to innovation and its implications, both artistically and ethically. This choice reflects a broader trend of digital transformation in media and entertainment, where AI's role is both celebrated for its potential and scrutinized for its impact on traditional craftsmanship.
Why It Matters: Annecy's inclusion of AI films is significant because it potentially sets precedents for how other festivals and creative sectors might embrace technological advancements. It challenges creators and audiences to rethink the essence of artistic creation and the authenticity of AI-assisted outputs. This evolution invites a broader discussion on the balance between technological innovation and artistic integrity, influencing future artistic directions and industry standards.
2
A fake Facebook page claiming to represent the AI tool MidJourney lured 1.2 million people into downloading malware. Hackers hijacked an existing profile and used it to post fraudulent offers and updates about AI features, leading users to download malware-infected files, including password-stealing software. This scheme highlights the increasing sophistication of social media-based cyberattacks and emphasizes the need for vigilance when interacting with online advertisements and community pages.
Context and Significance
This event underscores a growing trend in cybercrime where popular digital platforms and trending technologies like AI are exploited to distribute malware. The method of masquerading as legitimate tech updates capitalizes on the public's interest in AI, demonstrating the vulnerabilities within digital ad ecosystems and social media's role in spreading malware.
3
Spotify has introduced a novel feature that enables users to create personalized playlists by simply inputting prompts. This AI-powered tool, initially available in the UK and Australia, interprets the user's mood, genre preferences, or quirky concepts to generate customized playlists. The integration of this feature aims to deepen user engagement by providing a tailored music experience, and it represents an evolution of Spotify's existing AI initiatives, such as the AI DJ.
Context: This move by Spotify exemplifies a growing trend in how streaming services leverage AI to revolutionize user interactions and customize content delivery. It's part of a larger push within the industry to integrate machine learning tools to better understand and anticipate user preferences, enhancing the overall user experience.
Why It Matters: Spotify's AI-generated playlists could reshape user expectations and set new benchmarks for personalization in streaming services. This technology not only has the potential to boost Spotify's market share by increasing user retention through improved service personalization but also may influence broader media consumption behaviors, promoting a future where AI customization is the norm.
🧰 Tools-To-Know
Warning: Rising Epidemic of Ai Toolitis
Are you feeling dizzy from the constant barrage of AI tool releases? Do you find yourself breaking out in a cold sweat as you click from one AI platform to another, only to discover they're essentially the same? You might be suffering from an emerging epidemic striking tech circles globally: Ai Toolitis.
Symptoms
Déjà Vu Dizziness: A spinning sensation caused by the realization that every new tool is just a slightly tweaked version of the last.
Wallet Whiplash: The sudden and painful realization that you're paying premium prices for recycled features.
Cause
The main cause of Ai Toolitis is spending many hours trying ‘new’ Ai tools that invariable fall into one or more of the following categories:
Cheap and Crappy: Underwhelming performance.
Expensive and Crappy: High costs, low returns.
Replication: Where new tools are just old tools with new names.
Overpromising Underdeliverers: The AI equivalent of a used car salesman.
Treatment and Prevention:
The best treatment for Toolitis Repetitiva is strict avoidance of redundant tool trials. To that end I’ve created a “safe list” of tools that actually prove their worth in the wild. I’ll keep it updated, and feel free to add your own recommendation sin the comments: Ai Art and Animation Tools
👀 Watch List
Duck Tales: The Moon
A nostalgic journey back to the golden era of 8-bit gaming - a visually captivating music video reimagined.
Airhead
The Sora video!
ICYMI: ElevenLabs Tutorial
ElevenLabs text-to-speech, dubbing, voice cloning, and all the other tools available in this high caliber ai platform explained simply. A full tutorial of all the features is presented in this video.
🎨 Inspiration
Gigantic Eyes
Large eyes have fascinated humans for centuries, often evoking a sense of mystery and allure. Across different cultures and artistic representations, they often symbolize wisdom, depth, and sometimes even a touch of otherworldliness.
In nature, numerous creatures boast large eyes, each adapted for their specific needs. For instance, owls are renowned for their large, forward-facing eyes, which grant them exceptional night vision and an uncanny ability to pinpoint prey in low light conditions. Similarly, the eyes of certain deep-sea creatures like the colossal squid are disproportionately large, aiding them in detecting bioluminescent prey in the dark abyss.
Beyond functionality, large eyes can also convey emotions effectively, whether in animated characters or in real-life expressions. Think of the doe-eyed look of innocence or the intense gaze of someone deeply engrossed in thought or emotion. Moreover, in the realm of fashion and beauty, larger eyes are often considered desirable, with makeup techniques and cosmetic procedures aimed at enhancing their appearance.
From a psychological standpoint, studies suggest that people with larger eyes are perceived as more attractive and trustworthy, potentially due to the subconscious association with youthfulness and honesty. However, it's worth noting that beauty standards vary widely across cultures, and what is considered attractive in one may differ in another.
Overall, whether in art, nature, or human perception, large eyes continue to captivate and intrigue us, serving as windows to the soul and reminders of the beauty and complexity of life.
Midjourney Prompt:
1960's fashion poster of a [SUBJECT] with gigantic eyes, hippy vibes --ar 2:3
/settings: Version 6 and Stylize Med
What Next?
As always, consider this prompt as your starting point. Make it your own!
Are you missing out?
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