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Creativity Squared: On A.I. and Centering Humans

Dear Creativity Squared Collective —

Hope this finds you well wherever you’re reading this!

On this rollercoaster ride we call life, it’s been quite the adventure this year, and I apologize for needing to prioritize a few things over writing the newsletter the last couple of weeks.

On top of some exciting projects that are in the works (and that I can’t wait to share with you in the new year!), I’ve also been humbled and reminded that I’m only human.

I’m also reminded that the people who are on the cover of Time for person of the year — or rather people of the year — are just humans as well. Time’s Architects of A.I. includes Jensen Huang, Sam Altman, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Masayoshi Son, Robin Li, Demis Hassabis, Dario Amodei, and several other tech executives and lab leaders.

On the human front, we’ve seen Mark Zuckerberg’s divorce-scare vibes phase (hello, statue of Priscilla!), Sam Altman discussing using ChatGPT as a new parent and getting into embarrassing sophomoric exchanges with Elon Musk on X. As the titans of the Information Age, it’s easy to put them on pedestals and A.I. god-like status (they may put themselves in the latter category!), but at the end of the day, they’re beautiful, imperfect, and messy humans, too.

That said, they’re making decisions that impact a lot of humans — us. And 8.2 billion people on the planet. For A.I. to live up to its promise of amplifying the best of human potential, the technology needs a more democratic approach rather than the wealth and power accumulation we're seeing. The focus is on profits — not people — as the main incentive-driver in this A.I. race going at breakneck speed.

Unlike any time in human history, vast power is in private hands. This technology is too transformational and powerful for so few people to be making decisions that impact so many. It’s also alarming that some of their visions of the future don’t center people or human wellbeing. Look no further than the push of A.I. to solve our loneliness epidemic with the incentive to increase engagement at all costs. Spoiler alert: A.I. isn’t the answer to the loneliness epidemic.

With great power comes great responsibility, and we’re not seeing these players embrace the responsibility portion of their role in this new era. If so, we wouldn’t be seeing the amount of lobbying dollars being spent to block the most basic of A.I. regulation in the states. The new executive order that Trump just signed to prevent states from regulating A.I. is particularly atrocious.

As I’ve written many times before: Risk doesn't preclude progress; it demands proportionate investment in safety. There are significant safety concerns across the board, with the greatest risk in A.I. and warfare. In recent news, we’re seeing Meta intentionally hide its sexual predator problem and OpenAI self-reporting (red flag!) the amount of A.I. psychosis, mania, and other severe mental health symptoms from ChatGPT users, to name just a few.

I commend Australia for enacting a social media ban for children under sixteen as a measure to help protect our next generation from these harms, with some other countries looking to follow suit.

While I’m critical of tech’s private power, I’m not cynical about the promise and possibility of A.I. and human-centered digital connection — in all of our imperfect, glorious selves. But as we’re wrapping up the year, it’s a good time to get clear-eyed on what we want our future to look like and know that we are co-creating together as A.I. users, professionals, creatives, developers, and more.

On the other side of awareness, attention, and intention is clarity.

As we head into 2026, ask yourself: What kind of A.I. future do I want to help create? Your choices — what you use, what you question, what you advocate for — matter more than you think. And remember — collective action starts with individual awareness.

For those in the United States, I encourage you to take action: Use this form from Common Sense Media to write to your governor opposing the executive order that would prevent states from passing A.I. safety laws, including protections for kids:

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being part of the journey in all of its beauty, imperfections, and messiness. Being human is a humbling experience but together, I believe anything is possible. As Margaret Mead shared, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

Two shameless plugs: book me as a speaker for your next event and pre-order my forthcoming book on the Imagination Age today!

Until next week, here’s to playing in the playground of possibility to manifest more magic in 2025! 🪄✨

-Helen

Helen Todd (she/her)
Human behind Creativity Squared
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How creatives are collaborating with A.I.

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💝 PRE-ORDER YOUR BOOK

Become a Creativity Squared and #ImaginationAge supporter today! Pre-order my forthcoming book as a crowd-funded advance, enabling me to bring it to life. The book is based on my SXSW presentation of the same name, “Farewell, Information Age — Welcome to the Imagination Age.” Your financial support enables the movement and this independent female voice to champion it — thank you to everyone who’s already ordered a copy!

💝 SUPPORT CREATIVITY SQUARED & ARTSWAVE

How can you support this show? I’m so glad you asked! ☺️

Here are a few ways you can contribute to this independent female voice’s platform who’s championing Responsible A.I. and a human-centered future where it’s Dolly Parton and Holly Herndon — protectors of dreams and generative in their generosity and work — ushering in the #ImaginationAge (not AI ushering in the Intelligence Age, where humans are erased, starting with the framing…but I digress!).

Please consider supporting Creativity Squared in whatever way you can and would like to:

✅ Subscribe to the Creativity Squared YouTube channel (one day in the near future, I’ll be making money from this channel!)

🎨 I want to live in a world where artists not only coexist with A.I., but thrive. And because it’s important to support artists, 10% of all revenue Creativity Squared generates goes to ArtsWave, a nationally recognized non-profit that supports over 150 arts organizations, projects, and independent artists. Consider becoming a Premium Member today or making a one-time tip!

🦋 I'm SUPER excited to share that my SXSW presentation, Farewell, Information Age — Welcome to the Imagination Age, is becoming a book! 📗 The conversations on my podcast Creativity Squared have informed many of the concepts. Pre-order your copy today as a crowd-funded advance to support an independent female voice. Your support will enable me to bring this idea to life — and is greatly appreciated! 🥰💛

🎉 And as a reminder, when you support this show, you’re also supporting ArtsWave! Because it’s important to support artists, 10% of all revenue Creativity Squared generates goes to ArtsWave, a nationally recognized non-profit that supports over 150 arts organizations, projects, and independent artists. For the third year in a row, we’re proud to partner with ArtsWave to also amplify the phenomenal artists selected for their 2025 Black and Brown Artist Program, elevating underrepresented voices and bridging cultural divides through art. You can get caught up on previous years’ ArtsWave interview series here!

🚀 Interested in becoming a sponsor of Creativity Squared? Reach out!

👍 AFFILIATE RECOMMENDATIONS 

💝 Using these links also supports Creativity Squared, and we only recommend what we actually back!

🐝 We use Beehiiv for this newsletter and are big fans! (If you’re not aware of Substack’s racist issues, this NYT article is for you.)

🎙 Riverside is the platform we use for recording podcast episodes, and recommend the web-based software!

🎶 Play Audio Agency, headquartered in Cincinnati, is home to the team that helps produce the show and are audio rock stars!

🖥 Need a new website or the slightest of help on your current site? Check out e9 Digital — they created, and help us host and manage Creativity Squared’s website! They know how to make accessible websites which I love. Mention Creativity Squared for 20% off too!

📆 EVENTS, A.I. CONFERENCES & MORE! 

🎤 SEPTEMBER 16 VARTECH, Bahamas
🎤 SEPTEMBER 29 BOND — Arc Interiors, Orlando
📍 SEPTEMBER 24-26 TEDAI Vienna, Vienna, Austria
📍 SEPTEMBER 26 OhioX Ohio Tech Day (OhioX, #OhioX), Columbus

For the full calendar, check it out here!

Interested in having me speak at your event or host a workshop for your organization? Reach out!

🗞 PRESS & PODCAST INTERVIEWS

📺 BBC News (June 5, 2025) — What is the future of digital clones? 

🎤 SXSW 2025 (March 11, 2025) “Farewell, Information Age — Welcome to the Imagination Age”:

🎙 Fulcra Dynamics podcast, “The Augmented Life,” with CEO Michael Tiffany (April 29, 2025) — The Imagination Age Is Here: Reclaiming Attention, Creativity, and the Future of AI with Helen Todd

🎙 AI Explored with Michael Stelzner of Social Media Examiner (November 5, 2024) — Using AI to Expand Your Ideas and Creativity 

🎙 Reflections with an Accent with Kike Calvo (October 18, 2024) — Unveiling AI's Creative Power with Helen Todd | Reflections with an Accent 

🏆 Cincinnati Business Courier’s Fire Awards (May 2025) — Finalist in “Disruptor” category for CincyAI for Humans

🏆 Aviatra Accelerators (September 5, 2024) — Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award 

📖 Movers & Makers Magazine (October 1, 2024) — Notables in AI + Print

📖 Cincinnati Magazine + Print (December 19, 2023) — Clone Wars + Print

🖥 SXSW Conference Community Newsletter (December 5, 2024) — SXSW 2025 Speaker Helen Todd talks Digital Twins

🖥 UC News (July 5, 2024) — Mayor Pureval, Rob Richardson lead ethical AI symposium

🖥 UC News (June 4, 2024) — Community of AI enthusiasts expands in Cincinnati

🖥 AdAge (April 15, 2024) — The Dalí Museum used AI to recreate Salvador Dalí’s voice—so you can ask him anything

🖥 UC Office of Research (February 28, 2024) — CincyAI and Digital Futures Partnership: Growing AI Talent in our Region & Beyond 

Listen: Ep.75 BBL Drizzy, A.I. & Manifesting A.I.: Discover How Will Hatcher Manifested His Way to a Time100 A.I. 2024 Honoree

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“If you're trying to play life safe, then I don't think you can fully experience life, you know. So you gotta go to places that you never been before, be in uncomfortable situations, because that's where the real growth is.” -King Willonius

Discover the magic of manifesting in a Creativity Squared exclusive interview from the ONLY comedian (and one of two artists!) who’s a Time100 AI 2024 honoree in the Innovators category: King Willonius. 👑 

His real name is Willonius Hatcher (his first name is pronounced “Will-OWN-ee-us,” and he also goes by Will). 2024 has been a breakout year for Will after his “BBL Drizzy” comedy song went viral — the first song made in collaboration with A.I. that became a cultural phenomenon, transcending genres and mediums!  

What do Burning Man, Dune 2, and the Frost Planetarium have to do with his story? Listen in to our 75th episode — and the last one for 2024! — to find out.

Creativity Squared interviewed Will live at the FilmGate Miami Interactive Festival XI, one of the top ten immersive festivals in the world! You’ll hear why it’s so special from the festival’s Head Curator, Co-Founder, and Executive Producer, Diliana Alexander. 

On opening night, the FilmGate Miami audience got a preview of the “BBL Drizzy Musical Dome Experience”. Next year, Creativity Squared will be back to see the full production and host another time capsule conversation with Will. 

Once you check out the interview, you’ll know that Will is just scratching the surface of what’s possible — he’s ahead of the entertainment industries, and is definitely one to follow!

Why did he make the Time100 AI 2024 Innovators list? 

For Creativity Squared Founder and Podcast Host, Helen Todd’s take, check out the dedicated blog post accompanying this episode (we recommend starting with this first 😉):

Our 2025 podcast season will kick off again in April, but we’ll keep the newsletter going between now and then, aside from the holidays.

Here’s to manifesting more magic in the new year — enjoy! 💝🪄✨

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