AI Video looks real, bots are everywhere, and we don’t know what to believe: What can we DO about it?
We’ve finally cracked the code on realistic AI video! … Oh wait…
This week, at Google I/O, Google announced a suite of new AI features, including Veo 3, an AI video generation model that’s taken the internet by storm with absurd, obscure, yet believable video content that includes audio.
This comes just 2 years after the creation of the notorious Will Smith Spaghetti video, where many laughed and agreed that AI has a long way to go. Since then, I’ve worked with several AI video tools including Runway, Kling and Sora with intriguing, yet uncanny results. Everything I made using AI had that “AI vibe”, but less so over time.
This is a REAL image of Bill Nye and I (no lie) that I turned into a video using Runway.
In 2022, I worked with Discovery to create a series about innovative immersive technologies. We cited overcoming the uncanny valley as one of the primary barriers to making people feel truly immersed in experiences.
We cited one of the consequences of creating realistic avatars as the creation of believable deep fakes, which are now running rampant across the internet.
Meanwhile, early research indicates the public’s faculties for critical thinking decline with excessive use of AI tools. This is due to a phenomenon called cognitive offloading. In short, the more we outsource our executive thinking to AI tools, the less capable we are of thinking for ourselves.
So what happens next?
In a recent video, Futurist Sinead Bovell outlined an exciting vision where the nature of the internet changes from the ground up. According to Bovell, we’ll use agents to interact with the internet on our behalf. One could foresee us interacting dramatically less with social platforms.
This would track with some of Open AI’s recent strategic decisions. Their company just acquired Jony Ive’s early-stage technology company Io. Jony Ive lead the design of the iPod, iPhone and MacBook Air.
Designing another generational piece of user-friendly AI hardware is high on Open AI’s priority list. If I had to guess, it’d be an iteration on a low-profile wearable like Meta’s Smart glasses or the Rabbit R1.
But before we get to that point, we’re entering a pre-pubescent period for AI adoption: Where the internet runs rampant with AI driven content, algorithmic timelines and articulate bots make consumption of internet media a potent, but much much less connected experience than first-gen social media platforms.
Nostalgia and the return of NFTs?
I remember being a teenager during the early days of Facebook and Twitter. Back in the early 2010s, timelines were actually timelines; content was introduced chronologically, and we celebrated an unprecedented opportunity to socialize with others, and troll, across the globe. As an irresponsible teenager, I deemed it appropriate to name myself @WatDatBootyDo on Twitter. Different times.
Today, a lot less socializing happens on socials. Our timelines are driven by algorithms and most of the content we see isn’t actually created by someone we know personally.
In this time period, Digital Authentication is going to become more important than ever. That is- being sure that the video you’re watching is a certified original, or real video. Or that the person you’re interacting with isn’t a bot or agent.
Remember NFTs? When I built my first Smart Contract, I was excited to be a part of this innovative wave. After the 2022 crash of the crypto markets, public sentiment tanked towards value of a “digitally certified original” piece of art. A derivative of the technology, perhaps with a new name, could enable us ‘verify’ content as original and real. We need this asap!
Practical Next Steps: How I’m avoiding the AI slump from AI slop
I’ve always been a sucker for a compelling vision for the future, but right now, the public needs actionable advice. How can we stay empowered and continue to make positive contributions to society? Here’s what I’ve been doing:
1) Take proactive measures to reduce daily online consumption - Excessive consumption of online content has harmful side effects . Use your phone's screen time limiter and schedule intentional activities during downtime to avoid scrolling while bored. Turn your notifications off except with essential messages. Walk outside; it’s summer time here in the US!
I’ve attempted to implement a 30 minute morning mindfulness exercise before opening my phone and being barraged by emails, content, and notifications. I’m currently struggling with this one.
2) Create meaningful projects with AI tools to stay skilled - For creatives, check out Midjourney and Runway. For business owners and corporate employees, check out Claude and Perplexity. You can start with a free trial on most of these platforms.
I also recommend AI Agent tools like Manus, Operator or for the DIY crowd; building your own AI Agents using a platform like N8N. I personally am excited about running local AI models on my own computer to take more control over my data and AI tools. Here’s a tutorial.
Prompt Engineering, using AI for deep research and deploying AI agents are very useful skills to have in any white collar profession today. You learn these skills fastest by jumping in and building projects on the platforms. Certifications are less necessary.
If you have a project that’s been collecting dust for months or years, now is a great time to use AI tools to bring it to fruition!
3) Incorporate an adaptable, self-starter mentality. Open your mind to learning new things, step into the driver’s seat of your life
Imagine how your life would turn out if you blindly listened to every unqualified person online with a strong opinion. Loud naysayers on the internet will have you convinced that “we’re cooked” and you should just sit idly while all of these revolutionary technologies whiz past us, because it’s not worth doing anything anymore.
A recent trip to New York City reminded me of the value of the hustler’s mentality in the AI Age. For someone afraid to leave their comfort zone of sitting at a desk, copy and pasting lines of text and answering emails while scrolling their phone for their next laugh, this is a terrifying time. But the go-getters who bet on themselves, stay flexible and learn new tools can amplify their impact and expertise substantially through AI tool use. We just have to adopt the hustler’s mentality.
Similar to smartphone adoption, we’re entering another period where people that refuse to learn new technology tools will be left behind. I do believe there is a healthy middle ground between knowing how to use AI tools ethically and competently, and not becoming dependent on them for everything.
Let’s collect ourselves and keep it pushing
I do not believe the world is ending soon. But I do believe that in the next decade, our interactions with technology will dramatically evolve; and the job market will evolve to complement them. I am reminded of the onset of the Industrial Revolution, where the farmers of the time period simply couldn’t fathom the careers that most people would have in the coming era.
I’ve shared resources for how we can effectively engineer prompts, develop AI policies, and stay empowered in the AI age on my website: FascinateAILeadership.com - I’d love to work with your organization to stay empowered!