Last year, I had moved back to SF on May 1st and was by myself for my birthday (5/21) and I made a wish. And this year, I am feeling loved and cherished with mi gente in lovely San Francisco.
I got to be with my creative community and explore the world of creativity, design and AI at the Upscale conference on May 20-21 at the SF Jazz ❣️
Thanks ADPList for the opportunity 🤗
adplist.org
Upscale conf is for creatives, innovators and curious minds!
upscaleconf.com
Sharing my aha moments with y’all.
A beautiful start to the day with this lovely reminder and sign at the Muni train station - Smile San Francisco!
+ Wonderful healthy food, turmeric chai and company :)
Pixelpusher ❣️ the visual imagery blend through SF Jazz + techno music
Here are the key things that resonated with me. Here is Google Gemini AI summarizing my highlights from my notes and ideas… truly human assisted AI :)
AI as a Creative Partner
Folks talked about AI as a "sparring partner" for creativity. It’s not about AI replacing our work, but about it freeing and sparking creative thinking. Instead of just producing more, we can use AI to explore more and find those "fun" discoveries.
Think of it like this: AI handles the heavy lifting, so we can get to the cool, creative stuff. Henry Daubrez really hit this home, showing how AI helps bring stories to life for cancer patients – adding real meaning where time is of the essence.
If we could do anything what would we do?
Work with people we want to work with, support each other to achieve goals together and do good creative work!
❤️ Love what you do ❤️
Democratizing Design
The big idea from Google Cloud AI's Tomas Moreno was "democratizing creativity". With generative AI, making video, music, or voice-over is becoming easier for everyone. This means more folks can bring creative ideas to life, which is exciting.
Curiosity and Reflection
Even with all the tech, the human side was a huge focus. Linus Ekenstam and Julie Zhuo talked about being vulnerable and present, and how important feedback is in design leadership.
It's not just about what we make, but how we do it and how we feel.
And a big one for me: don't let small issues build up; address them head-on.
Hit send now and don’t wait for small things to grow into resentment.
Don't see conflict as a bad thing.
Embracing the "Weird" and the Future
Claudio Guglieri urged us to "get weird" with AI. He sees AI as the "engine," and we are the "drivers".
This means moving from a place of "creative scarcity" to "creative abundance". It’s about using AI to push boundaries and find new ways to create.
My Authentic Voice in the AI Age
A big question that kept coming up, and one I think about a lot, is: "How do we ensure our artistic voice and authenticity isn't lost... when you collaborate with AI?" It's a valid concern.
My takeaway is that AI is a tool to amplify my unique style, not dilute it. It's about clear direction and knowing what I want to achieve.
Finding Joy
Finally, a quote from Jony Ive resonated: "In our industry, joy has been missing."
This resonated deeply. All tech and innovation is great, but ultimately, it should help us rediscover the pure fun and excitement of creating.
Find your inner child who is curious and in awe with the miracles of the world.
Wondering, what were the 2 days like?
We will go from the end to the beginning with photos and notes - are you ready?
Here is my snapshot. What did I miss?
Day 2 - May 21, 2025
Henry Daubrez
Coming of A(I)GE
Stories coming to life through AI artistry for cancer patients added meaningA quest to find your spark ❣️
Heart, story and visuals - find the right balanceTomas Moreno
Google cloud AI
Democratize creativity with gen AI
Video, music, voice over...Brooke Hopper, David Montero, Stefanie Hutka
AI as a sparring partner and support storytelling and communication
Expectations have been raised by leaders.. speed of production va time to explore..
.. churn quickly.. in design we need to sit with it
.. use the free time with using AI to explore creativity not just produce moreSerendipitous discovery - fun and weird
vibe coding, prototyping are helpful to test ideas
using spell check is AI
Bradley G Munkwotiz (Gmunk)
Linus Ekenstam & Julie Zhuo
Leadership myth: you don't need to know all the answers
self awareness and perception - ask for feedback
- give feedback with intentionlead with vulnerability
- be in a place of understandingbe present fully in the moment
- focus on how we do things and feelbe open and honest.
Hit send now and don’t wait for small things to grow into resentment.
Don't see conflict as a bad thing.
If we could do anything what would we do?
Work with people we want to work with, support each other to achieve goals together and do good creative work! Love what you do ❤️
John Maeda, Design Microsoft
Design report 2025Thinking is like 2 blades of scissor - cognition & context
Day 1 - May 20, 2025
Andrea Trabucco Campos
Pentagram
In order to meaningfully contribute something new, you must first understand where things came from.Creativity is driven by mistakes
Creativity and colors in typography
New tools, same creative process
Lightricks Corbett Drummey
Generative AI will produce 30% world content by 2027 - GartnerClaudio Guglieri
Photography | Music | Art
It's time to get weirdBreakthrough creates new opportunities
AI is the engine. We are the drivers
Kathryn Han, Meta AI
From canvas to camera
From creative scarcity to creative abundanceMeta AI n Creativity 🤔
Wait ... is this still me?
We got to test Meta AI in Instagram app - first the interface was different to find the option.
and this top photo is not me… that’s a failed test in my view. How do you go from my short haircut to invent your own hair style after 3 attempts?
and Meta AI missed the ask of the prompt - it was floral garden and ranunculus pastel colors. Not a vase of random flowers in a park..
When Anything Is Possible, What's Worth Creating?
SOFÍA LÓPEZ MARTÍN + JESÚS TERRADA
FreepikArtistic Identity - Your Voice in the Age of Al
Beyond Style: If Al can mimic any artist's style on demand, what defines your artistic identity or signature?
Finding Your Voice: Your identity comes from your ideas. themes, and the choices you make
Evolving Roles: Are we becoming curators or directors of Al outputs, and how does that change our creative self-image?
Love this Question:
How do you ensure your artistic voice isn't lost or overshadowed when you collaborate with AI?
Ben Barry nonlinear
OpenAI logo design
OpenAI design
Human and flower bloom - love it ❤️
Leonardo de la Rocha
Top genAI use cases
#1 in 2025 - therapy and companionship
John Maeda | Rachel Kobets | Mustafa Suleyman
Simulated memories
Fantasia Magic and Animation ✨
I ❣️ Walt DisneyIn our industry, joy is missing - Jony Ive
Joaquin Cuenca Abela
Help anyone create great design faster
Freepik
It's important to make the right conclusions and grow with AI and don't be the product but a system builder: https://open.substack.com/pub/theafh/p/the-extraction-machine-is-running?r=42gt5&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false