Creative AI Cards Guide

Why limit yourself to using just one AI model at a time? The real fun starts when you connect various AI models, either within separate stages of your creative workflow or directly in a customized generative AI pipeline.

Does it feel intimidating?

That’s precisely why these cards are in front of you now. They’re designed to tame the chaos brought on by the constant influx of information about the latest AI models, endless scrolling, and your curated AI newsletters. These cards offer a reprieve from your screen, allowing for a moment of quiet focus amid the increasingly complex world of AI tools. This step away from the digital is your pathway to mastering it even better.

When using creative AI tools, we often get so caught up in the app’s interface or the code that we lose track of everything else. The process of creating with AI really grabs our attention and plays with our emotions, testing our patience and focus. Even though these AI tools seem perfect, getting that perfect result usually means trying over and over again. There’s this weird emotional dance that happens when we keep tweaking our prompts and hitting the ‘generate’ button, which can make us adjust our creative ideas just to feel less frustrated.

(Have you ever noticed how you feel during this process? Are you holding your breath, feeling a bit impatient or maybe excited? And where in your body do you feel these emotions? It’s quite interesting to check in with yourself and notice these reactions during digital creative work.)

Sometimes, we end up compromising too much, just going with the flow of pre-set workflows. At first, it might not seem like a big deal, but after a while, you might notice that your work doesn’t really reflect your unique style, or even worse, it starts to look kind of generic.

This situation can be turned around by being more mindful in our collaboration with AI, making a conscious effort to bolster our own creative input. The first step to this is gaining knowledge, and the second is putting that knowledge into practice. That’s where the Creative AI Cards come in handy—they’re great for both these steps.

So, just take it easy. Spend some time with your cards and let your imagination wander. Who knows where it might take you?

Exploration

Get a feel for the AI models you might want to include in your workflow by spreading the cards out on a table. Take a moment to just look them over, letting your eyes roam freely across the models.

Pay attention to the categories at the top of each card, what tasks they’re good for, and the different modalities they handle, indicated by the colored multi-gonal shapes.

Flip the cards over to read more about each model. You’ll find links at the bottom of each card—feel free to explore demos that are open to access or dive into their GitHub repositories to learn more.

Creative AI workflows

Let’s dive into uncovering the connections between various AI models for your creative process!

Imagine weaving a story that links several cards. Where does your journey begin? Which model catches your attention first? Consider the modality of your starting materials. Look for another card that seems like it could seamlessly connect with your starting point. Think about the potential journey: what inputs and outputs would you be managing?

Continue this process, forming connections with more cards. Separate your chosen cards from the rest, play around with their arrangement. Visualize a creative AI workflow with these models. How would it unfold?

Sketch out your envisioned workflow. If you’re not a coder, no worries! Take your sketch and cards to someone skilled in coding and discuss how to bring your creative vision to life.

Collaborative brainstorming

Bring your Creative AI Cards to meetings and brainstorming sessions. Many are only familiar with the most popular AI models, so these cards can be a valuable tool for introducing a wider range of options. When discussing projects with clients or collaborators, use the cards to visually represent the AI models or tools you plan to integrate into your workflow. This not only provides a clear overview but also saves you from extensive explanations. During group brainstorming sessions, spread the cards on the table to build upon your individual work and encourage collective exploration. This way, different perspectives can merge, potentially leading to the discovery of unique and collaborative creative workflows.

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