 |
|
|
|||||
Danish artist Andreas Refsgaard has been combining generative AI with handcrafted prototypes to create unique glimpses of whats aheada future that could one day make artists like him obsolete. What if instead of asking AI to generate a picture, you built a cardboard model of what you wanted it to depict? Thats exactly what Refsgaard has been exploring with his Future Mirror project, which invites students to use recycled materials to build prototypes of artifacts from the future. The Future Mirror web app then feeds these handmade objects into Stable Diffusion, producing unexpected visions of worlds we have yet to invent. I thought it was kind of magical to have kids build something very scrappy [with] toilet paper rolls and papier-mâché, Refsgaard says. Have them imagine wild stories, which they are good at, and then actually see that thing come to life. Since launching workshops with school classes in 2023, Refsgaard has seen kids create prototypes for sustainable buildings, autonomous food delivery vehicles, and teddy bears designed for all-ages space travel. One strength of this approach is that language has many barriers. When I have an idea, or I have something in mind, words can [often] not describe it, Refsgaard explains. Building a model with your own hands allows for more detail, which then influences the final AI-generated image. Thats really, really powerful, he says. A store for AI-generated books Refsgaard has spent about a decade experimenting with machine learning and AI as an artist, often exploring the blurry boundaries between artist and algorithm, authorship and agency. An early example was Booksby.ai, an online bookstore selling paperbacks written entirely by AI. Built in 2018, Booksby.ai came before todays powerful large language models. Instead, it used a much weaker text generator that could create realistic-sounding sentences but struggled with coherent plots. In terms of generative AI, this is medieval, Refsgaard says, noting that the books were barely legible. I don’t think anyone has read an entire book from start to finish, he says, adding, They werent very interesting books. Even so, the store sold about 300 copies, mostly through Amazon. Some books even received five-star reviewsone recommending a book because its knodung, a piece of gibberish generated by AI. Refsgaard enjoys these moments when AI stumbles, though he knows they are becoming more rare. Lets laugh about how bad it is right now, but also think about the future consequences. Because it will be good at some point, he says. That moment is coming quickly. Refsgaard says he wouldnt launch something like Booksby.ai today. Why would I put AI-generated books onto Amazon [now]? Its swamped by AI-generated books already. The fine line between art and a tech demo Another recent project brought reality a little too close to Refsgaards art. As part of a series of experiments with image-to-text models, he built an online meme generator called MemeCam. The web app lets users snap a photo of an everyday object, then uses AI to turn it into a meme. MemeCam was meant as a playful exploration but it quickly went viral. It became extremely popular, my biggest hit I guess, Refsgaard says, noting that his success came at a price. I lost quite a lot of money on it. Although hes not personally a big fan of MemeCams humor, calling it a bit middle of the road, Refsgaard still appreciates its impact. Its sort of like youre indie, and you make a record that gets airplay on big stations, he says. Youre okay with it. The project also made him reflect on what it means to create art in todays fast-evolving AI world. Sometimes even he isnt sure how to define his own work. Are they interesting art, or are they tech demos? When he started working with AI a decade ago, projects relied on basic tools and a lot of custom programming. Today, AI code generators handle much of that work, producing polished but sometimes less-interesting results. Im not going to make something new and unique in Midjourney, Refsgaard says. I dont care how beautiful an image can become. But Im interested in generating that image from cardboard. He adds that making AI art today is way easier technically, but its more tricky conceptually. When AI art replaces the AI artist Despite these shifts, Refsgaard still sees a place for artists like him, who approach AI playfully while also exploring its cracks and limitations. These experiments, he argues, help foster a more informed critique of AI. If you just reject it completely, then the criticism you have of it is typically not very nuanced. As for his own work, Refsgaard plans to keep exploring the shifting line between artist and algorithm as AI continues to evolve. I try to write myself out of my own art, he says, noting that hes also looking to experiment with agentic AI to see whether such agents can create entirely original workseven if that means replacing himself in the process. I try to write myself out of my own art, he says again. I dont mind not being the artist.
Category:
E-Commerce
Late-night Zillow scrolling just got a little easier on the eyes. The residential real estate platform announced that dark mode is now available on its iOS app. Just tap your profile icon in the top-right corner, then tap app settings, select the dark app theme, and voil, you can scroll through listings more comfortably in the dark. “Your midnight move starts here,” Zillow says. Dark mode has been one of Zillow’s most requested features, the company says, and before the update, the best fans of dark mode could do was use a browser extension that offered a three-month free trial. Dark mode is popular for reducing energy consumption (and saving battery life), and Zillow says it’s about more than just aesthetics because it reduces screen glare and eye strain in low-light settings. [Image: Zillow] The reason Zillow dark mode took so long to arrive is because the companys app has many content-rich screens, including interactive maps, listing photos, and financial tools. Designing a dark mode wasn’t as simple as applying a dark theme across the board, Zillow tells Fast Company. Extra attention had to be paid to elements like color-coded map pins that show different listing types and statuses such as rentals, for sale, new construction, or homes youve already viewed. Zillow has 227 million average monthly unique users. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Zillow usage surged as Americans on lockdown dreamed of moving to a new place. Today, scrolling Zillow without any purchase intentionknown as Zillow doomscrolling (or Zillow therapy for some)is how many people use the app since mortgage rates remain high and home sales are softening. At least with dark mode, there’s one less reason bedtime Zillowing will keep you up at night.
Category:
E-Commerce
How do we tell our story? That’s a familiar phrase in brand marketing. Its a decent question, but heres a provocation to challenge this conventional wisdom: Storytelling and marketing are no longer reliable ways to build and grow a brand. To understand whats to come, its useful to look at what gets awardedand what doesntat the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. Based on what we saw last week, the patterns indicate that marketing, storytelling, and, in particular, the marketing funnel, in a conventional sense, have become less dependable. This framework has long been defined as: Company builds brand (awareness) Brand attracts customers (interest and consideration) Customers buy product (purchase) [Image: I&CO] In the past decade, three factors have emerged and dominated human psyche, culture, and marketing: short-form video, people as brands, and heightened consumer expectations. These shifted the power dynamic between brands and consumers, rendering the traditional marketing funnel doctrine less relevant. As marketers and brand builders helping companies grow, what we should be asking now is this: How do we build trust? Trust has always been essential for any brand, but it’s becoming a new, essential currency. The premium on trustworthiness has increased as the line between what is real versus generated or what is true versus not becomes indistinguishable. Here are the four steps of Trustnomicsthe new currency for brand growthin an algorithmic, agentic, and synthetic world. Identify your key product moment A key product moment is a distinct feature that makes the product value visible and readily understandable. Weve been obsessed with storytelling and marketing and overlooked the power of key product moments for brands. Look to the French insurance company AXA to see the power of a key product moment with measurable impact. Home insurance policies typically guarantee emergency relocation for fire and flood victims. AXA added de violences conjugales (and domestic violence) to contracts for its customers. It is a promise to help survivors of domestic violence escape by providing emergency housing relocation. Three Words is a profoundly simple key product moment that makes AXAs product value immediately tangible and morally differentiated. Within six months of adding domestic violence coverage to its policies, AXA provided emergency relocation assistance to more than 500 families. Customer trust metrics increased by 27%, and brand consideration among women ages 25 to 45 rose by 34%. The German discount supermarket Penny created another example with its Price Packs initiative. After redesigning packaging to display fixed prices in bright colors and big fonts, and showing its commitment to price stability, Pennys store traffic increased by 22% and market share grew by 3.2% in key regions, despite broader market volatility. In customer surveys, 78% of shoppers cited price transparency as a key factor in choosing Penny over competitors. To earn the currency of trust, dont tell why your brand is better. Show why its different in the product. Treat product as content Theres a brand that was on everyones mind and lips but didnt win any Lion inside the Palais: OpenAI. The company has grown by treating product as content. OpenAI publishes product-related press releases and articles several times a week. There is little effort in creating an emotional connection with consumers through marketing or storytelling. CEO Sam Altman understands that products are the make-or-break for any business. In an information era that is becoming agentic, the best way to earn attention and trust is through the products themselves. The brand that understands product as content best iswait for itApple, the Grand Prix winner of Creative Effectiveness for its decade-long Shot on iPhone initiative. At the ceremony, everyone was hoping for an emotionally driven, brand-led campaign. Quite the contrary, Shot on iPhone is technically a product demo, which creative judges and types often look down on. As appealing as brand marketing has been, a better way to earn trust, build a brand, and drive business now is by treating product as content. When you do this, though, you have to have a point of view and stick to it. Kudos to the Apple team for being highly disciplined and single-minded with their Instagram page and not littering it with product ads. Dont confuse product ads with product as content. [Screenshot: Apple/Instagram] Repeatable system > Scalable campaign Using Apple as a guide is aspirational but unrealistic. Most marketers and brand builders dont have $48.5 billion sitting in our bank accounts to spend on huge campaigns, media buys, or expensive productions. The Japanese streetwear brand Human Made, founded by the ultra-hip Nigo and supported by Pharrell Williams, was established in 2010. Despite its celebrity status, it had modest growth for more than a decade, and its revenue hovered around 1.7 billion yen (roughly $11.6 million). When Rei Matsunuma, a longtime Uniqlo executive, joined in 2021 as Human Mades COO, he created a 52-week product planning calendar and addressed supply chain issues. Then, he started Daily Tsdaily drops of date-stamped white T-shirts, making each days T-shirts unique and exclusive. [Image: Human Made] These were not shiny, scalable campaigns that would see much limelight at marketing industry events like Cannes. Instead, they were repeatable systems that generated consistent demand among brand fans and prospective customers. In less than four years, Human Mades revenue grew sixfold to 10 billion yen (nearly $70 million), with a presence in more than 80 countries and minimal investment in storytelling or marketing. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act, but a habit, wrote Will Durant in his 1926 book, The Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the Greater Philosophers (paraphrasing Aristotle). Repeatable systems beat scalable campaigns. Flywheel of Trust By the time a business problem reaches marketing, its too late. When culture moves in real time, no marketing funnel can save a business. We need to turn our funnel mindset into a flywheel. [Image: I&CO] The flywheel of trust framework is based on the product itself, which is now the main driver in attracting customers. Company creates product Product attracts customers Customers trust brand Brand differentiates company In the past decade, this phenomenon has increased. Besides the aforementioned examples, others like Stanleys Quencher or Uniqlos Round Mini Shoulder Bag became sensational hits without relying on emotional storytelling or brand marketing. These brands gained traction not because they asked How do we tell our story? They asked, How do we build trust? If we translate this flywheel into tangible action, the four steps of Trustnomics are: Identify your key product moment Treat product as content Build a repeatable system Kick the flywheel of trust into motion As the world shifts from the information era to the agentic era, the marketing funnel doctrine is giving way to a new flywheel framework focused on earning and building trust. Trustnomics is not just an ingredient of your brand. Its the currency that powers brand growth.
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||