The internet is rapidly changing. It does not matter if you are a seasoned CTO or a first-time founder, nobody has a map for this. You need to connect with people who want to figure this out. That’s why we’re here.
Our network got into it this weekend. A debate flared up in our WhatsApp group when one of our members referred to an AI generated music account on Spotify as an “artist.” This was the provocative sentence:
I discovered this track which led me to a new artist….
That one word set it all off. The first reply was more of a scoff than a question:
“A new artist?”
I’ve been in this community for nearly 3 years and this was the most vigorous and prolonged debate I’ve ever seen. It clearly struck a nerve about an old philosophical topic a lot of people want to dive into.
The original provocation - if you want to even call it that - came from a point of vulnerability. The member who shared the song mistook it for flesh & blood music. They wanted to know if it mattered that they liked it.
Not for nothing, this particular member happens to be one of the most advanced/experienced/connected AI builders, makers, and thinkers in our network. The fact that this person mistook that song proves the claim that conventional AI content is ready for prime time.
You know what else is ready for prime time? Another provocation about this debate.
Provocation of the Week
It doesn’t matter.
History is replete with answers to these ancient, philosophical, and fundamentally useless questions. Tolstoy said art is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced. Warhol said art is what you can get away with. There are thousands of similar quotes, all trying to offer some clarity, all contradicting each other.
One of our own members offered their own declaration: the point of art is to encounter humanity. The purpose of this newsletter is to help you encounter the discourse.
The debate revealed two argumentative camps, one McLuhan reference, and more than a couple of esoteric philosophical declarations. It featured a substack link about this topic from jazz pianist named Brad Mehldau that is worth your extended time (because it is very very long).
One camp argued the process is the art. It is everything that Suno CEO said musicians hate about making music: the hours, the struggle, the intention. This camp recoiled when an AI account was referred to as an artist.
The other argued the output is all that matters. New tools always feel like cheating until they don’t. These people brought up drum machines. Cameras. Sampling. This is where McCluhan came into the picture. AI output is a new medium that has no name yet. We’re still tinkering with something we haven’t defined yet, but like every other new medium, it will eventually take shape and turn into a market.
I loved it all. I loved the people that admitted how a Suno track made them cry. I loved the posting of link after link after link of famous artists talking about art. I loved the different voices chiming in.
I’ll close with one final thought that came from one of our members who built a career in the music industry. In a flurry of rapid-fire posts, this member hand-waved away all of the self-reflection that defined the debate because, as this person said it, the train has already left the station.
As they put it: the cheaters, fakers, liars, and bots are already building, selling, sharing, and connecting creative work that is finding an audience. They ended their rant with a good question: knowing all of this, how do you want to spend your energy?
To put it another way: what are you going to do about it?
What’s Next?
If you have thoughts, feedback, or a perspective worth sharing, reach out: chmiel@ondiscourse.com. You might see your reaction in next week’s edition.
ON_Member Events
ON_Group Chat
ON_Discourse Group Chat: Featuring Itai Asseo, Vice President, Incubation & Brand Strategy, Salesforce AI Research
Thursday, March 26, 11-12pm ET
Join us for a close-door discussion with Itai Asseo, Vice President, Incubation & Brand Strategy for Salesforce AI Research.
During this Group Chat we will explore the philosophical and psychological aspects of AI, including the hype, speculation, productivity gains and the ways in which the tools can also be a huge time suck.
ON_Discourse Group Chats are live, high-signal discourse driven conversations with AI leaders, builders and operators.
Not your typical Zoom, these are intimate, provocative, deeply practical sessions where we sharpen each others perspectives.
ON_Breakfast Club
AI Leaders Session
Wednesday, April 8, 9-11am ET
Join ON_Discourse members, including AI leaders, builders, operators, and invited guests, for a private breakfast, illuminating discussion, and breathtaking views from the 69th floor of One World Trade.