Possible

Pioneers of AI is your weekly guide to the AI frontier. Each week, host Dr. Rana el Kaliouby (AI scientist, investor, author, co-founder of Affectiva) is joined by the leading creators, critics, and thinkers behind mind-blowing technology and asks the important questions about how artificial intelligence is changing the way we live. In this episode: Creating and sharing art is a uniquely human experience. With the rise of AI, creative processes are shifting, but Taryn Southern doesn’t think that means art becomes any less human. As a storyteller and technologist, Southern uses AI to push the limits of her creativity. She also works to help fellow artists and everyday people embrace the potential of AI. Southern joins Pioneers of AI to talk about what partnering with AI to make art looks like, how she assembled a team of chatbots to create a festival trailer, and what it was like making the first album co-written by AI. Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/

What does it take to create something the world has never seen before? In this final episode of Artful Intelligence, Reid Hoffman and Chris McLeod explore what it takes to spark a creative revolution with filmmaker Paul Trillo. Using OpenAI’s groundbreaking AI video generator, Sora, Paul directed the world’s first fully AI-generated music video.  After gaining early access to Sora, Paul faced a massive creative challenge: How could he use an AI tool known for surreal, dream-like visuals to craft a music video that felt emotionally real? The answer came from embracing AI’s quirks—its strange hallucinations, its unpredictable transformations—and writing prompts like poetic scripts to guide the machine’s creative output. Join us as Paul reveals how he turned an experimental AI model into an award-winning music video—and how creators everywhere can harness emerging tech to redefine what’s possible in art. Time Stamps: Part 1: To Create a Paradigm Shift with AI, Lean Into Its Constraints 07:25 - Paul Trillo discovers OpenAI’s AI video generator, Sora 09:46 - Navigating early uncertainty about AI’s impact on filmmaking 12:09 - Directing under creative constraints during COVID with The Shins’ “The Great Divide” 16:57 - Making emotionally resonant art despite technological limits 19:09 - Reid: What advice would you give someone running into constraints with AI tools? Part 2: Paradigm Shifts Often Come from Reviving Old, Impossible Ideas 23:01 - Paul’s early experiments with Sora push AI video limits 24:34 - Resurrecting old creative concepts from his “Graveyard of Ideas” 25:59 - Inspired by Carl Sagan’s “Golden Record” and its sci-fi storytelling potential 28:49 - Creating a surreal AI-generated trailer blending historical and futuristic imagery 30:21 - Revisiting a decade-old “infinite zoom” concept for a music video 35:05 - Reid: How do paradigm shifts in AI go beyond just replicating older tech? Part 3: Excavating Right at the Edge of What’s Possible Today 37:45 - Writing “alchemy-like” prompts to guide AI’s hallucinations 40:19 - Blending AI’s surreal misremembered details into an emotional story 42:36 - Generating 700 videos and 320 minutes of AI footage for the music video 44:56 - Reid: What kind of impossible ideas might AI make possible? Links: “The Hardest Part” Music Video by Washed Out. Directed by Paul Trillo: https://vimeo.com/941713443 “The Golden Record” by Paul Trillo: https://vimeo.com/927400626 “The Great Divide” by The Shins. Directed by Paul Trillo: https://vimeo.com/461473136 Infinite Zoom in Manhattan: https://vimeo.com/paultrillo Paul Trillo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paultrillo Will Smith eating Spaghetti (example of early AI video generation):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQr4Xklqzw8 Reid AI: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/reidhoffman_the-nobel-prize-award-ceremony-took-place-activity-7272418124639928320-ZyMn/  Show Description: Artful Intelligence explores the thrilling intersection of creativity and artificial intelligence. Hosted by Chris McLeod, this mini-series dives into the stories of groundbreaking artists using AI to push the boundaries of what’s possible. Each episode showcases how human ingenuity and machine learning collaborate to create the extraordinary. With thought-provoking contributions from Reid Hoffman, Artful Intelligence asks bold questions about the future of creativity: Can AI amplify human expression? How do we ensure it empowers rather than replaces us?

How can you shape the future with AI to create the world you want to live in? Reid Hoffman and Chris McLeod explore this question with Elise Swopes, a trailblazing visual artist and educator blending AI with photography. Currently an evangelist for Adobe, Elise has been a creative force since the early days of Instagram, crafting surreal visuals for brands such as Adidas, McDonald’s, Casamigos, and Sony. But her journey hasn’t been without challenges. From online harassment to personal struggles, she’s faced adversity with resilience, using her art to shape a brighter, more inclusive future. Join us as we traverse her path—while Reid reflects on AI’s evolving role in fostering creativity and meaningful human expression. Can AI ever replace human style, or will the future of art always require a human touch? Time Stamps: 02:14 - Chris McLeod intros the series Part 1: Shape Your Tools Because They Will Shape You and Your Future 07:07 - How Elise discovered AI and overcame early backlash 09:26 - Building websites and creating digital art as a kid 11:26 - Teaching creativity online and the power of sharing knowledge 17:03 - Reid: How can we foster more constructive conversations about AI? Part 2: The Right Networks Will Amplify Your Voice Without Losing It 17:13 - Using AI tools to redefine creative possibilities 19:29 - Elise’s journey from public school to creative entrepreneurship 21:26 - Brand collaborations with Nike, McDonald’s, and Casamigos 23:36 - Navigating higher education on her own terms 25:12 - Reid: What would a “better future with AI” look like for artists? Part 3: Taste and Style Are Your Competitive Advantage in Shaping the Era of AI 27:50 - How artists can shape AI’s future through experimentation 31:31 - Elise’s creative process with Adobe Firefly and AI-generated art 33:52 - Reid: Could AI make human artistic style obsolete? 41:16 - Elise reflects on personal growth and creative freedom Links: Swopes’ Website: https://www.swopes.info/ Swopes on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swopes Swopes AI piece discussed in the episode: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5D0rFJOEzf/?igsh=MWgwNDU1cms1a3I2 Swopes’ TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joWNKJlf8N0 Show Description: Artful Intelligence explores the thrilling intersection of creativity and artificial intelligence. Hosted by Chris McLeod, this mini-series dives into the stories of groundbreaking artists using AI to push the boundaries of what’s possible. Each episode showcases how human ingenuity and machine learning collaborate to create the extraordinary. With thought-provoking contributions from Reid Hoffman, Artful Intelligence asks bold questions about the future of creativity: Can AI amplify human expression? How do we ensure it empowers rather than replaces us?

What if you could create the impossible with AI? In this debut episode of Artful Intelligence, Chris McLeod introduces us to Montreal-based filmmaker Malick Lombion, whose groundbreaking technique, Hyperlapse X AI, is redefining video art. Malick combines hyperlapse cinematography with cutting-edge AI tools like DALL-E to compress time, space, and reality into surreal and mesmerizing visuals. Malick pushed AI to its creative limits, proving that human ingenuity and machine learning can work in tandem to unlock new dimensions of art. Reid Hoffman and Chris explore what it takes to innovate at this level: the right partnerships, a willingness to fail publicly, and a commitment to going all in. Discover how Malick’s work inspired a new wave of video creators—and what it says about the future of creativity in an AI-driven world. For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/  Time Stamps: Introduction 00:01 – Artful Intelligence introduction. 02:36 – Chris and Reid discuss the central question: Can AI amplify human creativity? 04:08 – A brief history of cinematic breakthroughs, from Georges Méliès to hyperlapse. 08:13 – Malick explains Hyperlapse x AI. Part 1: The Right Humans Are Required 10:01 – Malick discovers DALL-E 2 and its potential for groundbreaking visuals. 10:55 – Malick teams up with Manuel Sainsily to create Hyperlapse x AI. 12:26 – A long and tedious process.  13:35 – Reid Hoffman on the value of diverse collaborators in AI innovation. Part 2: Plan on Failure in a Public Way 18:39 – Malick gets an offer to work with Insta360. 20:45 – Public experimentation on Instagram leads Malick to hyperlapse videos. 23:08 – Trial and error with a 10-foot selfie stick. 26:39 – Reid Hoffman on iterative deployment and learning from failure. Part 3: Once You Know Where You’re Going, Go All In 31:26 – Malick begins transforming his 360 footage into a Hyperlapse x AI video. 32:16 – Malick moves from Guadeloupe to Montreal, fully committing to his passion for video creation. 37:09 – Malick completes his breakthrough video. 40:33 – Malick’s Hyperlapse x AI video goes viral. Outro 49:19 – Chris reflects on Malick’s journey and previews the next episode in the series. Links: Malick Lombion’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malick.fr?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== Malick’s Hyperlapse x AI video with the Insta360 camera https://www.instagram.com/reel/CiPyY1VAv6I/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== An updated version of Malick’s and Manuel Sainsily’s first Hyperlapse x AI video https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChNyS6iAEA8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==