Scott Belsky: AI & Creativity

Today, we’re excited to chat with Scott Belsky - author, entrepreneur, investor and Chief Strategy Officer at Adobe. Matt + Scott discuss the impact of AI on creative work, how Adobe is incorporating AI across their products, and what the future creative tools landscape might look like.

This session was recorded live at a recent Data Driven NYC, our in-person, monthly event series. If you are ever in New York, you can find us on Eventbrite by searching for "FirstMark Capital". Events run monthly and are free and open to everyone. And as always, if you enjoy the MAD podcast, please subscribe and leave us a comment.

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Show Notes:

[00:53] How Adobe uses AI to enhance user experience, streamline onboarding and automate tasks across their product suite;

[01:30] How AI impacts Adobe's business, making creative processes accessible with features like the context bar in Photoshop;

[02:13] Firefly's journey: internal decisions, training challenges, and a commitment to using licensed material for ethical AI;

[03:58] Moral considerations in Firefly's development: the decision to use licensed material, commercial viability, and addressing user comparisons;

[05:52] Adobe's homegrown approach to generative AI models: in-house development and partnerships for specific capabilities like LLM;

[06:08] Adobe Sensei's 10-year evolution: developing AI technologies, the non-profit Content Authenticity Initiative, and content credentials establishing asset provenance;

[09:17] Adobe's new AI advancements: Firefly Image Model 2, Generative Match, and the vector model for illustration;

[11:16] Firefly Editor's revolutionary image editing: dynamically generating pixels, real-time object manipulation, and Adobe's commitment to pushing technological boundaries;

[12:41] Rapid integration of AI features: Firefly models and playground, surfacing on a website for user testing, and collaboration within Adobe's design organization;

[14:32] How Adobe's AI and data teams are structured and leveraging in-house development for competitive advantage;

[15:47] Future of work and creativity: AI's impact on raising the bar for digital experiences, accelerating creative processes, and the evolving landscape of personalized social content;

[19:11] Leveraging technology to reduce friction, streamline processes, and unlock creative flow;

[20:09] Impact of AI on business models: questioning time-based pricing, anticipating a shift to value-based models, and reconsidering compensation for creative professionals;

[21:10] Parallels with historical Internet Service Providers, the rapid evolution of ideas, and reflections on sustainable business models;

[24:53] Scott’s criteria for evaluating AI investments: valuing skeptical entrepreneurs, acknowledging temporary uniqueness, and emphasizing empathy with customers;

[26:40] Navigating challenges in 2023: Tough decisions for entrepreneurs, evaluating conviction, and the importance of sticking together through the "messy middle”;