Setting sail into the creative algorithm: meet our AI Captain

“The algorithm has emerged as a spectral muse, a phantom hand that actively shapes the unformed ideas that have lingered in the corners of my mind for over a decade.”

When ChatGPT replied this to one of my prompts, I was genuinely moved. Its message deeply resonated with how I’ve been feeling about Generative AI.

I've seen my fair share of tech hypes. From NFTs to the Metaverse, countless new technologies have promised to change everything but ultimately fell short.

AI really is different.In just the past five months, AI has yielded more tangible use cases than blockchain has in the last ten years—it's a disruptive force that is already reshaping our entire understanding of creativity and productivity. It’s the first technology that has genuinely touched my soul and has allowed me to bring ideas to life that have been stuck in my mind for years.

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Aligning the algorithm with the human creative spirit

But disruptive technologies also have a human cost. Used carelessly and without respect for the human creative spirit, we risk alienating the very people essential for navigating humanity through the uncharted waters of algorithms. AI’s potential reach is civilizational, poised to redraw the lines of nearly every industry.

Although it’s still way too early to gauge the full impact of AI on the creative industry, initial findings indicate a surprising trend: the jobs most susceptible to AI aren't exclusively blue-collar. They include the highly educated, high-earning creative ones—jobs that have never faced a major automation threat before.

Facing this gigantic shift, it's natural to feel fear. That's where I step in at StoryMe. Using Starhaven as my vessel — embedded in the fabric of StoryMe — I will take the helm as their AI Captain.

For me, this is more than a defined job function —it's a duty that requires ensuring our creative energy is properly aligned with the unmatched potential of AI.

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Embarking on a new creative journey

I've spent the past few weeks getting to know the team at StoryMe. After years in the agency world, I understand the often sacred nature of existing workflows. My objective isn't to disrupt these processes or to enforce a barrage of new AI tools.

On the contrary, my first step has been to truly understand the people behind the work—their passions, their personalities, their workflow, and even their fears about AI. It's essential to remember that every creative process is deeply personal and unique, and the integration of AI should respect and enhance this, not eclipse it.

Instead of imposing a one-size-fits-all AI strategy, I want to tailor the technology to suit the individual needs and working styles of our art directors, video editors, project managers, account managers ….

Ultimately, the goal is to achieve a balanced coexistence of human creativity and artificial intelligence. To see AI not as a threat to human creativity, but as a tool for amplifying it. To strike a balance between saying no to AI and allowing yourself to let go.

Beyond, aligning AI with StoryMe’s fantastic team, the ultimate North Star is integrating AI into our storytelling for our clients. This goes from leveraging tools like Runway to make certain processes more efficient, to integrating Midjourney and Stable Diffusion into each moodboard phase.

And that’s just the beginning. Platforms like ChatGPT have democratized programming to the extent that everyone now has the potential to create their own applications and tools. Why subscribe to 100 tools that do one thing if you can build an entire suite yourself?

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Augmented Imagination

Creative agencies will have to become creative tech companies. Yes, true creativity will always remain the beating heart of these companies, but we have to accept that the algorithm now coexists with the camera, keyboard or pencil.

Aligning AI with the creative mind is more than crafting clever prompts or showcasing Midjourney creations. It's a complex, multifaceted challenge that requires a holistic approach. It’s a journey that I am excited to undertake at StoryMe, and one that I believe will redefine our approach to creativity.

The algorithm, once an abstract concept, has now become an active collaborator, helping us transform dormant ideas into tangible stories. This is more than just watching the digital transformation unfold from the sidelines—we are at the forefront, actively charting the course.

Let's ignite the potential in ideas we once thought unreachable, build narratives in ways we never imagined, and breathe new life into storytelling, the beating heart of the human experience.

Per aspera. Ad astra!

Our story got also featured in De Tijd, L'Echo, Digimedia and many more.

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