Creativity Stack: The Toolkit for Creative Minds

In the world of tech, the concept of a "stack" refers to a set of software tools and frameworks that are used to develop an application or website. I've found this same concept to be true in consulting, marketing and now in creating. Yes, it can be applied to creativity, where a set of tools and resources can help individuals achieve their creative goals. As a creator, you can augment your creativity with your very own, "Creativity Stack."

"Creativity Stack"

The Creativity Stack can vary depending on the type of creativity in your fingertips. Having a set of tools and resources that help enhance your creativity can significantly impact the quality and efficiency of your work. This is where the concept of a "Creativity Stack" comes into play. Depending on the type of creativity at hand, creators can identify and utilize the right tools to achieve their goals. For example, a graphic designer may rely on tools like Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, or Sketch, while a musician may require software like Logic Pro or Ableton Live, and we know that Project Managers breathe by their tools that connect Ganntt charts, schedules, and project tasks together. By identifying and using the right tools, creators can also enhance their creative output and improve the efficiency of their workflow.

In today's digital age, the onset of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the concept of the "Creativity Stack". The advent of AI-based tools has provided creators with an unprecedented level of flexibility, accuracy, and speed. For instance, natural language processing (NLP) models like OpenAI's GPT-3 can assist writers with generating ideas, improving sentence structure, and even generating entire pieces of content. Similarly, generative art platforms like Dalle2, ArtBreeder or Deep Dream Generator use AI algorithms to create unique and captivating pieces of art. With AI-based tools becoming more accessible, creators can leverage these technologies to take their work to the next level...spurring that innovative spirit within and helping you get to a level you may not have ever dreamt about.

I reached out to start Augmenting my Creativity in ways that I honestly didn't realize I needed to explore further. I've been known as far back as 2011 to have used facial recognition software to augment a character or two while streaming while gaming. Since the realization of the Metaverse, Technikole has donned her avatar form courtesy of the same technology which infused with Ready Player Me. But this week...I explored some more.

I tapped all the way in and came out the other end with a new intro for my show. Check out my toolkit that I used to create the Meta Mind Shift Show new intro. Watch the video, then come back and check out how I put AI to use:

Chatbots (LLMs)

I used these three chatbots to develop my announcer's script. That is my method, I rarely use just one because they have different flavors and I'm a girl who likes options:

• OpenAI ChatGPT: A large language model chatbot developed by OpenAI.

• Google Bard: A large language model from Google AI, trained on a massive dataset of text and code.

• Rix AI is an AI chatbot designed to assist developers with a range of tasks, including generating, documenting, testing, and debugging code, as well as answering questions about code.

That Voice

• Eleven Labs: A software company that uses artificial intelligence to create natural-sounding speech.

• D-ID: A company that develops deep learning-based solutions for image and video forensics.

Unlike other parts of this, I knew exactly what I wanted for the voice. I have a thing for dudes with accents and thanks to Eleven Labs it worked out perfectly and landed their service in my long-term must-have bag. Their free tier is amazing and absolutely worth the upgrade to pro for $5 a month. If you join within a reasonable time of me writing this you'll also get a lucrative discount for your first month (mine was $1!!! for 30K credits in addition to the 10K on the free tier.)

I meshed the voice that was created with an avatar for use in the ultimate video. Their selection is diverse with more seasoning than some of the other similar platforms. If you just want an avatar they have a great selection. If you already have an avatar they allow you to import your own and animate it to look as if it's talking. You can even generate avatars and scripts right there on the platform. I'm picky so I went another route but their animation functionality is top-notch and easy to use.

Graphics and Presentation

I reached out to good ol' faithful for the presentation and graphics. Though I did start out creating the avatar in D-iD, I wasn't quite getting what I wanted. Then I had an idea to create a Michael Ealy-esk newscaster for the show, so I did. Within 30 minutes I had him thanks to Blue Willow. The ability to freely iterate without worrying about costs is EXTREMELY helpful when you don't know what you want exactly. Also shots out to ChatGPT for this because I wasn't getting it right and ended up asked for the right prompt for Stable Diffusion (one of its AI Models) and this got me going down the right path. One of the new features on Blue Willow that totally killed it was "outpainting", the ability to pan and continue generation. My original image did not cut off his hair at the time of generation. You can see it in it the middle of the shot below. I used outpainting to provide new versions of the top portion of the image....and wha-lah!

In comes Canva. To just say its a handy tool, doesn't do it service. If you aren't using it for SOMETHING, you should be. I am a Maestro, a Conductor of Creativity on the Canva platform, which ultimately means I use it...a lot. I've created everything. For this, I used it as a landing pad for all of my elements in the video. It's where the construction happened, the combination of components and content. Background removal, word placement, animated robot - all of it, was done on Canva. Background removal is a gem for pro users. I use it literally every day.

• Blue Willow: Blue Willow is a generative art platform that allows users to create AI-generated art.

• Canva: A graphic design platform that allows users to create social media graphics, presentations, posters, and more.

• Constant Contact: Constant Contact is a marketing platform that can help creators with email marketing and social media marketing. It offers a variety of templates and tools for creating and managing campaigns. This tool is great for marketers and small business owners. [Get a 60-day trial and 30% off!]

NEXT UP

This was a fun project that gave me the results I wanted. The Creativity Stack incorporating AI, is diverse and can include a variety of tools and resources depending on the type of creativity you are seeking to enhance. By using these tools, creators can save time and energy while still achieving their creative goals. Whether you're a writer, musician, marketer, or filmmaker, there is a Creativity Stack out there for you so tap in!

Looking for personalized guidance or support in implementing the strategies discussed in this blog? Look no further! Contact me for consulting services tailored to your specific needs and goals. I'm here to help you succeed.

Tags:

Creativity Stack, AI-based tools, creative workflow, productivity, efficiency, voiceover, avatar creation, graphic design, social media marketing, email marketing, inspiration, new ideas, problem-solving, innovation, Metaverse