We don’t know, but there’s great music. Deleted our last social media account, Twitter or X as it’s now called, as a lost cause due to AI and shipped off our Space Cowboy Collection which was super fun to make. Now, onto 3 favorite topics we’ve always wanted to explore: American cryptids, music, and fruit. Thanks Indiana Jones and X-Files.
Current AI feels more like late 90s imploding pop-up ads when dial up companies like AOL, Microsoft, Myspace, and Yahoo were all busy releasing a combination of computer viruses and banner ad training classes as an advertising ponzi scheme. Blogs were hot. The stock market LOVED it, but customers HATED it. A computer filled with ads every time you got on the internet and impossible to browse simply wasn’t usable. Pop. The Dotcom Bust. Similarly, small businesses and artists point out that online sales have fallen by 3-4x in 2023. The stock market is covering it up for now, but the AI cracks are showing.
Silicon Valley solved the last bust by creating Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. which limited advertising to small windows and returned power to customers. Live musicians were the big artist winners in the early 00s and likely will be again. Small businesses seemed to pull through with free monthly clubs meet-up and live events, but the main thing is that AI as it exists is fundamentally disliked by the average customer and renders current technology unusable. It might be the hot new thing in tech, but to Joe on the street, it’s a new annoying pop-up banner ad or computer virus that just won’t go away.
From the ancient town cryers, printing press, or radio, over-reach of advertising and government in technology is nothing new. Which makes it important for businesses to focus on the pendulum swing back. Jazz music is our personal favorite as trumpets are pretty cool, but we can all brainstorm about how to best serve our customers in ways that they want. Drop us an email if you have a suggestion for us on how we can improve too.