This episode: JEN_AI tries co-generating an inspirational TED-style talk & slide deck and awkwardly presents it to 100 computer science students
Plus: 1 theme song, 1 supermodel & at least 3 bad puns
// Welcome to JEN_AI
Hi, I’m Jenni Munroe: generative artificial intelligence (=GenAI) keen-bean since before it was invented. I set myself challenges to use AI, tech, media & culture and try to figure out what it means to be human in the age of AI.
This is JEN_AI Challenge #12.5: Use AI To Give a Talk
(=co-create a conference speaker proposal, talk + slides)
// (Super)Model Training Data: My All-Time Fave TED Talk
Why do I love this talk so much? Model Cameron Russell walks out on the TED stage in a killer black dress that instantly alienates half the female audience, and with perfect comedic timing says “I knew I shouldn’t have worn this”. Over the course of an outfit change and a 10 minute talk she proceeds to “transform what you think of me” - both showcasing and tearing apart the importance of image. She not only avoids the classic rehearsed-to-death TED-speech-rhythms but somehow manages to talk about privilege without making people squirm. And she speaks with a humility and humour that seem effortless. A model example, for sure.
// Start Before You’re Ready
Back in Feb I made the mistake of logging into my work laptop on maternity leave and spotted a call for speakers at Google’s “Women TechMakers” worldwide local conferences. I’d attended one of these events in 2017 and it was the spark that pushed me to chase my dreams & apply to DeepMind, so I really wanted to pay it forward and inspire others to overcome self-doubt and just go for it.
There was just one small problem: the deadline for proposals was 5pm that day. And worse: I only really had half an hour of baby-nap-time to write and submit this thing. So yeah, I turned to AI. Fortunately, (and yes, terrifyingly), ChatGPT already knew enough about JEN_AI in memory that when I gave it the AI the call-for-speakers email text incl. conference theme “Redefining the Possible You”, it came out with something just about good enough. I only needed a few iterations & edits, then BAM- submitted.
The pitch was selected and in March I gave the talk virtually at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York.
But first I had to write the damn thing.
// HOW (NOT) TO WRITE A TALK
Iterating with ChatGPT, Google Gemini or other fave chatbot (plus my own stories) to craft an outline and talk
Gamma.app and/or Google Slides (I used both) to generate, edit and present a slide deck from an outline
For the full magic, the vid has the real-time slide-generation.
// The Result
Check out the video/podcast for some total-cringe clips from the talk! Slide Deck
// Reflections: The Pain of the Cringe
I’m so glad I did this challenge, but after nearly a year of maternity leave I was rusty AF and a walking panic attack for hours afterwards.
I saw a quote from communication guru Vinh Giang saying, basically:
“you can be great at anything, you just have to be willing to be shit at it first”
Sometimes what feels like imposter syndrome just means you’re honing a new skill. And sometimes, you’re a genius with terrible self esteem. And at other times still- you legitimately are a bona-fide AI imposter. Either way: apologies to the 100 computer science students who had to listen to me remember how to speak derivative, trite AI-co-created nonsense as they stare down a job market that AI has not helped.
But the conference organizer shared some lovely feedback from students and a few did reach out to me afterwards, so it wasn’t all bad. Seemingly it was my (far from original) message around overcoming fear, self-doubt and imposter syndrome that resonated most, and if it encouraged just one person to make a leap then it was worth it. Even if that one person was me.
// SOUNDTRACK
This week’s theme tune is about the sheer terror of putting yourself out there: sharing your art and authentic self with the world.
“Alaska” by Maggie Rogers
Back in 2016, Masterclass recorded an NYU student Maggie Rogers playing her song “Alaska” to mega-successful artist and producer Pharrell. You can see she was terrified of him hearing it - she can barely look at him - but he’s so genuinely wowed by her music and can barely hold it in till the end of the song to tell her how perfect and unique it is. Watching the range of their emotions as they sit in silence for 3 minutes listening to her music was so deeply moving for me (& plenty of other people who spend too much time on the internet).
So, yeah. Put yourself out there. And if you think you’re not good enough - you’re either learning something new, or you haven’t been listening to this episode hard enough.
🎧 Playlist: The JEN_AI Mixtape
// Disclaimer & Thanks
A big thanks to Alaina Mupparthi and the Women Techmakers organizers, and thank YOU, as always, for listening. 💖
JEN_AI is produced by Jenni Munroe using publicly released tools (incl. Gemini & ChatGPT for edits & brainstorming). Not endorsed by Google. #myviews
#jenai #GenAI #experimental
