Thursday Thoughts - 05/18/2023
Here are my Thursday Thoughts, a short list of the most interesting things that I’ve read, heard, and/or watched over the past week.
Link chatting with AI by Stable Diffusion Dream Studio
What I Read:
If Doodles Were Mine
David Horvath, co-founder of Uglydolls with 20 years of character IP brand experience, shares his insights on the Doodles NFT project in a recent article. One of the thoughts that stuck with me is the wisdom of staying small to organically weave the brand into the cultural fabric.
Horvath’s thinking calls to mind Seth Godin’s thinking on tribes and culture.
AI is a Waste of Time
Derek Thompson does a fantastic job with the title and writing in his latest piece for the Atlantic. Shunning the impending doom theories around AGI and narratives of enhanced human productivity, Thompson invites readers to see AI in a different light – as a form of entertainment.
Thompson outlines how people are likely to spend, or ‘waste’, hours of their time playing around with deepfakes and generated images. He suggests this diversion may not be inherently negative, hinting at how it could potentially act as a catalyst for creative sparks.
What I Played:
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The much anticipated sequel to Breath of the Wild came out last weekend. Currently five to ten hours into the game, I’ve embarked on an exploration of Hyrule, having ventured beyond the game’s starting area.
The game has impressed me with new mechanics that offer novel ways to interact with the environment. This novelty, in turn, creates new puzzles and combat strategies. Despite these fresh elements, the game retains its familiar charm. It brings a sense of nostalgia as I traverse through Hyrule six years later, encountering familiar sights such as Bobokins and Koroks.