Creativity Squared: On the Divinity of Music in the Age of A.I.

Dear Creativity Squared Collective —

Thanks for being here today, and I hope this finds you well wherever you’re reading this in the world!

As we’ve reflected on what makes us most human on this platform, today, we have two songs that epitomize this, one included in a special video interview with Domino Saints!

During Miami Music Week, it was such a treat to meet and interview Gigi Ojeda and David Leal. You may know them as Domino Saints, the Puerto Rican urban pop duo making waves in the Latin electronic music scene.

They shared insights into their creative journey, their unique approach to blending musical traditions, and their vision for the future of Latin electronic music. Of course, we spoke A.I., creativity, and the Imagination Age, too!

The interview was right before they flew to Paris and Mont Saint Michel in France to film and direct their new music video and single: "AURA". This song is a bold and uplifting new track that celebrates inner strength, motivation, and authenticity, and was created to uplift and empower women in music. Check out the interview to hear more about their creative evolution to being behind the camera as creative directors and directing themselves!

Our resident writer and philosopher, Jason Schneider, pitched me on an analysis of Bob Dylan’s song “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” — one of the most profound breakup songs to have ever been written. While Jason didn’t compete with ChatGPT on this one like in his Grateful Dead “Ripple’ blog post, it’s hard to think of anything more human than our experiences and adventures, however they manifest, in love. Check out his post on the song “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” and the ambiguities of the heart. (Maybe it’s just the hopeless romantic in me, but it seems like Bob Dylan should have talked to his lover! 😉)

On a different note, in last week’s newsletter, I shared Tristan Harris’s TED Talk, The Narrow Path: Why AI is Our Ultimate Test and Greatest Invitation, and its script that’s been adapted for a blog post. He’s not the only sounding the alarms with our current approach to A.I. — another powerful message comes from Carole Cadwalladr’s TED Talk: This Is What a Digital Coup Looks Like — it’s also worth a watch.

Both speak to the fact that we need to change course and remind us of the power we each hold, despite how powerless we may feel. Join the #ImaginationAge movement — a new approach to reimagine our collective future — and be part of harnessing A.I. for good.

Start by becoming a supporter by pre-ordering my forthcoming book "Farewell, Information Age — Welcome to the Imagination Age.” Your financial support will help bring this vision to life and contribute to a more hopeful future — one where we all thrive in the age of A.I., not just the few who promise abundance without showing us how. In both the book and the upcoming season of Creativity Squared, we’ll explore a bold new conceptual framework — and, more importantly, how to turn it into real-world action. And if it’s up to me, future historians will study this shift as the true successor to the Information Age. Because, as I’ve said before: Sam Altman is wrong — we’re not entering an Intelligence Age!

There’s still more content on its way from SXSW and Miami Music Week, so stay tuned. 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 May, 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
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How creatives are collaborating with A.I.

💝 SUPPORT CREATIVITY SQUARED & ARTSWAVE

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’s 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 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! 

🎤 MAY 16 Power to Pursue, Cincinnati (Speaker)

📍 JUNE 4 Content Authenticity Summit, NYC
🎤 JUNE 5 SUMMIT DETROIT (Speaker)
🏆 JUNE 11 The Fire Awards powered by the 1819 Innovation Hub (CincyAI is a finalist!)
🪑 JUNE 10-12 Cincy AI Week (#CincyAIWeek), Cincinnati (CincyAI Community Partner)
🎤 JUNE 13 AFTACon (#AFTACON #AFTACON2025), Cincinnati (Speaker)
🤝 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 14-16 Black Tech Week, Cincinnati
🎥 JULY 16-18 Data 4 Public Good (D4PG, #D4PG), Minneapolis (Media Partner) 
🎥 JULY 17-20 (Tentative dates) ArtsWave 2025 Black and Brown Artists Grant Program Showcase, Cincinnati (Media Partner)

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

🖥 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 

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

🎙 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

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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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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.

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