Creativity Squared: How do stay hopeful in the age of AI?

Dear Creativity Squared Member —

Last week, I shared why I love the consenticorn concept and have been dressing up as one. While I’ve been having a blast championing the #ImaginationAge, I feel the heaviness in the air with everything happening in the world, too.

This dumpster fire meme we’re all living through isn’t sustainable — which makes it all the more vital to co-create a shared vision and start building a better future, today.

We need people like Holly Herndon building artist-centered solutions like her Public Diffusion project, a truly open-source LLM built on the 4 C’s of artist consent: Consent, Compensation, Control, and Credit. 

People like Holly give me hope.

I had the chance to sit down with Holly, a Time 100 AI Most Influential Person, to prepare ahead of our SXSW Featured Session (the video will be online before long, I promise!).

We were in the lobby of the JW going over questions, and one I had for her was, “What gives you hope?” She replied, “That’s a really hard question to answer.” And it was an honest answer and one that I’ll always remember.

Our real-life superheroes are only human, too.

And sometimes, even when your life’s work is in service of a better tomorrow, it’s hard to have hope, especially when it feels like David going up against Goliath.

I’m reminded of one of my favorite quotes on the topic:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” -Margaret Mead

And you never know what ripple will turn into a wave. Or how one Tweet I saw from Creativity Squared guest Claire Silver is turning into a movement championing the #ImaginationAge.

Your being here and reading about the #ImaginationAge also gives me hope. This upcoming podcast season is going to dive much deeper into its concepts as I write my book on it.

Stay tuned for all my SXSW, Miami Music Week interviews, and #ConsentIsSexy content that is still in the pipeline.

If you’d like to support the #ImaginationAge and this independent female voice championing it, 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.” Thank you to everyone who’s already ordered a copy — it really means the world to me!

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

Helen

p.s. 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 and major conferences.

Helen Todd (she/her)
Human behind Creativity Squared
linkedin / twitter / pinterest / Instagram / threads
CreativitySquared.com
youtube / instagram / facebook / tiktok
How creatives are collaborating with A.I.

💝 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 upcoming 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, and I couldn’t be more excited to present them on stage in Austin in March and in print this year. 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! 

🎤 APRIL 16 Cool People Saying Smart Things, Cincinnati (Speaker)
🤝 MAY 6 CincyAI for Humans (CincyAI, #CincyAI), May meetup, Cincinnati (Co-Host)
📍 MAY 8 OhioX 2025 Ohio Tech Summit (OhioX, #OhioX), Columbus (On radar to attend)
👷‍♀️ MAY 13 Cincinnati AI Catalyst (CaiC, #CincinnatiAICatalyst), May meeting, Cincinnati (Volunteer Marketing Leader - Apply to join)
🎤 MAY 16 Power to Pursue, Cincinnati (Speaker) 
🪑 JUNE 10-12 Cincy AI Week (#CincyAIWeek), Cincinnati (CincyAI Community Partner)
🤝 JUNE 17 CincyAI for Humans (CincyAI, #CincyAI), June meetup, Cincinnati (Co-Host)
🤝 JULY 1 CincyAI for Humans (CincyAI, #CincyAI), July meetup, Cincinnati (Co-Host)
👷‍♀️ JULY 8 Cincinnati AI Catalyst (CaiC, #CincinnatiAICatalyst), July meeting, Cincinnati (Volunteer Marketing Leader - Apply to join)
🎥 JULY 17-20 (Tentative dates) ArtsWave 2025 Black and Brown Artists Grant Program Showcase, Cincinnati (Media Partner)
🎥 JULY 16-18 Data 4 Public Good (D4PG, #D4PG), Minneapolis (Media Partner) 
🤝 AUGUST 5 CincyAI for Humans (CincyAI, #CincyAI), Aug meetup, Cincinnati (Co-Host)
👷‍♀️ AUGUST 13 Cincinnati AI Catalyst (CaiC, #CincinnatiAICatalyst), Aug meeting, Cincinnati (Volunteer Marketing Leader - Apply to join)
🤝 SEPTEMBER 2 CincyAI for Humans (CincyAI, #CincyAI), Sept meetup, Cincinnati (Co-Host)
👷‍♀️ SEPTEMBER 9 Cincinnati AI Catalyst (CaiC, #CincinnatiAICatalyst), Sept meeting, Cincinnati (Volunteer Marketing Leader - Apply to join)
🪑 SEPTEMBER 10-11 MidwestCon (#MidwestCon), Cincinnati (CincyAI Community Partner)
📍 SEPTEMBER 26 OhioX Ohio Tech Day (OhioX, #OhioX), Columbus (On radar to attend)
🤝 OCTOBER 7 CincyAI for Humans (CincyAI, #CincyAI), Oct meetup, Cincinnati (Co-Host) - 2 Year Anniversary! 🥳
👷‍♀️ OCTOBER 8 Cincinnati AI Catalyst (CaiC, #CincinnatiAICatalyst), October meeting, Cincinnati (Volunteer Marketing Leader - Apply)
🪑 OCTOBER 14-16 Marketing AI Conference (MAICON, #MAICON) Cleveland (Attendee)
🤝 NOVEMBER 4 CincyAI for Humans (CincyAI, #CincyAI), Nov meetup, Cincinnati (Co-Host)
👷‍♀️ NOVEMBER 11 Cincinnati AI Catalyst (CaiC, #CincinnatiAICatalyst), November meeting, Cincinnati (Volunteer Marketing Leader - Apply) - 2 Year Anniversary! 🥳
🪑 NOVEMBER 19 OhioX Ohio AI Summit (OhioX, #OhioX), Columbus (Attendee)
🤝 DECEMBER 2 CincyAI for Humans (CincyAI, #CincyAI), Dec meetup, Cincinnati (Co-Host)
🎥 DECEMBER 5-7 FilmGate Immersive Festival at Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami (Media Partner) [Art Basel Miami Beach Dec 5-7]
👷‍♀️ DECEMBER 10 Cincinnati AI Catalyst (CaiC, #CincinnatiAICatalyst), Dec meeting, Cincinnati (Volunteer Marketing Leader - - Apply to join) 🥳

✨❄️🎄 December 25 - January 7 Holiday Break 🥳❄️✨

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

🗞 PRESS & PODCAST INTERVIEWS

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

🎙 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 

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

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

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

Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Pandora | Amazon | Google | SoundCloud | iHeart Radio

“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! 💝🪄✨

Become a Premium Member to Unlock Exclusive Content and Claim Your NFT

Become a Premium Member to unlock exclusive content and to claim your NFTs of episode cover art!

At $10 per month or discounted to $100 for annual memberships, Premium Members enjoy other benefits too:

• $1 per month (or $10 per year) to ArtsWave

• Premium Member NFT

• First-Dibs at Event Invites

• Access to Monthly Exclusive Content (e.g. Helen’s Monthly Must-Know Video Report on the hottest A.I. news)

• Discounts from Creativity Squared Partners

• Thank You by Name in the Creativity Squared Newsletter

There is also a VIP Founding Member tier for those who want lifetime first dibs and access to Creativity Squared content, events, and whatever we dream up!

Because it’s important to support artists, 10% of all revenue Creativity Squared generates will go to ArtsWave, a nationally recognized non-profit that supports over 100 arts organizations.

Subscribe to Premium to read the rest.