Hey {{first_name | friend }}, not sure you know that I’m a true audiophile. I love music. A lot. Not in the sense of always having my ears plugged in. Nay, I might go a full month without listening to anything. But when I do? Boy, I feel every note.

This is a good point to flash back to how I actually create music. I have a line in an unreleased song where I say “Let me tell you why I started writing music; I just loved the instrumental, so I had to use it.”

Anyway, what made today’s experience a bit special is that after being amazed by the song, I discovered it was created by AI.

Wow.

AI has been all the rave in the past few years. I have opinions about it. I am generally on the conversative side that cares about the present and future of humanity.

Interesting, I just published an essay about AI yesterday [right here on taiwoash.com] preaching against using it indiscreetly.

But I won’t use today to go all in on my thoughts about it. Instead, I’ll use this opportunity to say we need a leader, and I volunteer to be one.

Or at least one of many.

The industry leaders are skeptical. Many are resigning from high-ranking positions in the AI race, warning against great risks to humanity. They are not crazy. I don’t recommend fear. But I do invite us all to be aware and alert.

I’m proud to be adding a column to this newsletter. Maybe we’ll find a name for it.

Use AI, let us. But truthfully, I don’t believe most of us need it critically in our daily workflow. It tends to impede thinking and breed reliance. If you must use it, make sure it’s making you better.

About the fears of our collective future…

For now, we’ll let tomorrow worry about itself.

I’ll share more soon.

How do you feel about the fears and predictions about AI?
Do you think it’ll all boil over?
How are you getting ready for the future?
I’d love to know.

Wait, Taiwo, tell us—what was the song!
Ah yes. It was an AI-boosted rendition of Stromae’s Papaoutai. Search for “Papaoutai Afrosoul version” and let the raspy bellowing of the rich African vocals blow you away.

Papaoutai means “Father, where are you?” in French. The original song was about the singer’s deep ache after the tragic loss of his father. A very human song, and a perfect candidate to see how AI could influence our perception of art.