Welcome back!
Before we delve into this week's topic, let's revisit some urgent matters from our last newsletter. We're witnessing the pivotal role of AI as it takes center stage in the ongoing Writers and Actors strike in Hollywood. If it wasn't abundantly clear before, the creative industries now face a critical need to establish robust guidelines for AI usage. The significance of this issue was underscored last week when Netflix announced they're hiring an AI Manager.
Make no mistake - AI is here to stay. I invite you to reflect on the three rules we suggested last week for engaging with AI in the creative industry. And to Netflix's new AI manager - we're eager to connect with you!
School's Not Out for Summer
Speaking of Hollywood, I, like many others worldwide, recently saw the Oppenheimer movie in the cinema. With a runtime of 3 hours, there's a great deal to digest. One of the film's many successes is its approach to explaining the complex science behind the creation of the atomic bomb and quantum physics. Instead of overwhelming viewers with a deep dive, it conveys just enough information to lend credibility to the characters. This technique, excellently executed in films like The Big Short and a show like Succession, avoids losing the audience in the intricacies of global finance markets, which seldom make for compelling storytelling. Yet, I find myself intrigued by these intricate details. Following my viewing of Oppenheimer, my thoughts have gravitated toward quantum physics and the creation of the atomic bomb.
Me after watching Oppenheimer:
Inspired by this Reddit post, I started considering how AI could help me delve into a complex subject like the creation of the nuclear bomb and quantum physics in an engaging way. This would certainly be a contrast to poring over a Wikipedia page or even reading a book. (Quick disclaimer: it's always important to question the level of truthfulness from large language models like GPT, but my goal here is to explore a conversational approach to learning and exploration).
With the Reddit post as inspiration, I created the following prompt:
The Feynman technique, named after physicist Richard Feynman, is an approach to learning that involves simplifying complex concepts by explaining them as if you were addressing a child. This practice promotes a deeper understanding beyond rote memorization. Notably, Feynman was part of the team that constructed the nuclear bomb during World War II.
I really enjoy the positive and condensed approach taken by GPT-4 here and I decided to start asking questions in the other direction too after I answered the question posed by GPT-4.
Now it caught me off guard, but GPT-4 stayed positive despite my lack of knowledge.
I’ll leave it here as GPT-4 started expanding the topic into the highly relevant question about the cold war.
Overall I found the prompt and method incredibly beneficial. During this process, I felt enlightened, and GPT-4's positive and encouraging approach resulted in a fruitful learning experience. It was not merely about consuming answers generated by GPT-4 but engaging actively in the process.
This approach could be applied across a range of subjects when the goal is to explore rather than just study. In the realm of television, it could assist creators in understanding how to convey complex information and background stories in an accessible manner that leaves room for story development. I encourage you, dear reader, to experiment with this prompt and share how it has benefitted you. And share the newsletter too if you feel like it!
Thought of the Week
Staying on the Hollywood theme, I want to share a short article from TBI Vision that echoes last week's newsletter topic about being at a crossroads with AI.
TV-Show Idea Generator!
As we do every week, we'll wrap up with some fresh ideas from our unrelenting AI-dea machine. In line with this week's theme, I've chosen the location 'Hollywood' and the special ingredient 'AI.'
If you’re not already a subscriber do grab your very own /promptcollective subscription right here:
Who are we?
The founding members of the /promptcollective are Jes Brandhøj (Denmark) and Hannes Jakobsen (Germany). But we are looking for others to join! So if you are interested in discussing all things AI in the creative industries, send us an email to join@promptcollective.xyz now.
Until next time!
Hannes & Jes