Pika AI announcement & thoughts on AI tools

There it is: the first wave of easy-access + visually stable generative AI for video.

pika.art

I was wondering when we'd get here and I have a lot of thoughts and feelings: Does this further democratize visual creativity? Is it as good as the sizzle reel? How could I use this to enhance my workflow rather than replace it? Do I even want to use it? (And why do I feel both fear and excitement?)

Let’s dive in (but out of order).

Is it as good as the sizzle reel?

Easy one. We won’t know until after release.

How could I use this to enhance my workflow rather than replace it?

I go back to the personal discoveries I’ve had while experimenting with AI tools: using these tools as another step in the process rather than the only step is the way to enhancement over replacement. It becomes another brush pattern, film overlay, just another tool to use and build on within a workflow. And experimentation is the only way to figure it out.

So why am I scared? And excited? Do I even want to use this?

I feel the initial fear reaction revolves around the unknown and the natural fear of the unknown. In this case, job erasure through unpredictable change. I love what I do, like so many other artists; wanting that to remain unchanged is normal. But we know from history that it will change, inevitably, throughout our lifetimes. Whether that’s slow or fast doesn’t matter as much. Taking a step through and beyond the fear and getting close to the thing that’s causing it results in excitement, which leads to curiosity. The curiosity is what answers the question “Do I even want to use this?” with a yes.

Does this further democratize visual creativity?

Almost certainly yes. All the recent generative AI tools are lowering the barriers to entry for creating art. That’s great. Being frustrated that an accountant over in sales can now make a video with very little training isn’t a good use of energy. Extension of democratizing visual creativity: Will the baseline for quality and/or “interesting” shift and expand over the next couple years?

Yes, and likely quite a few times.

Final thoughts

Amid an unending sea of image generations, I’ve seen a rare few truly incredible, novel uses of these new technologies. All of those applications used the tools as just that: tools in the flow of work, layering them in with trained and honed skills to make new and interesting works.

That’s what we all want to do: make something groundbreaking and new and cool.