December 7th 2023.
In 2013, I was horrified when the ugly shoe trend emerged and wrote an article about its impending demise. But I was wrong. Ten years later, the Croc shoe, which was made popular by an animated mouse, is still going strong. The color range is now extensive, but unfortunately the design is still offensive. It seems beauty and fashion sense have been trumped by functionality and bad taste.
Adding to the visual pain is the rise of the Birkenstock. This sandal allows men to put their bad toenails on full display. Despite many people visiting nail salons in the hope of having attractive nails, the Birkenstock nail exposure is a major turnoff. But, people tell me they are comfortable, even if they've never worn loafers before.
It's clear that the ugly shoe trend has become a long-term trend and it's become contagious. And I was wrong in my prediction that it would be a short-term fad. That hasn't stopped me from looking at predicting other trends, such as those related to AI.
AI and its young upstart offspring, ChatGPT, are the leaders of a generational tech trend that overwhelms us with vast amounts of data and noise. Research by WriterBuddy reveals over 24 billion visitors to the top 50 AI platforms in the last 12 months. That’s three times the world’s population!
AI is a technology that not only challenges what we think the future looks like, but it will change it. It is also confronting the existential crisis of what it means to be human. We are creators and tool makers who are always innovating our art and technology to make life more beautiful, easier and more comfortable.
The transition to a world dominated by AI will be painful, but those who adapt will thrive. Writers that are storytellers will still be valued, as ChatGPT cannot create human stories. Graphic designers need to be open to AI image generator platforms, while movie producers and Hollywood actors need to accept that AI video apps and avatars and clones will take away some of their business.
By looking at the data, it is clear that five of the seven top categories for AI platforms are disrupting human creativity. This doesn’t mean extinction, but new tools are augmenting and accelerating the creative process and production. It is up to us to take advantage of these trends and make them work for us.
In 2013, I thought that the ugly shoe trend was just a passing fad. I was so horrified that I wrote an article predicting its demise. Boy, was I wrong!
Not only was it not a short-term fad, but it has become a long-term trend that seems to be here to stay. In 2023, the Croc shoe made popular by an animated mouse is still going strong, and its color range is now extensive - but sadly, the design is still offensive.
It seems like beauty and fashion sense has been cast aside in favor of raw functionality and, unfortunately, bad taste.
Adding to the visual anguish is the rise of the Birkenstock. This sandal allows men to show off their toenails, but unfortunately, this isn't a turn-on - regardless of how many people are visiting nail salons to make sure their nails look perfect.
But I guess they are comfortable, so there's that.
So, this ugly shoe trend that I thought was a passing fad has become a long-term trend, and it's contagious. I was wrong about it disappearing, and now I'm looking to predicting more trends - particularly in the realm of Artificial Intelligence.
AI, and its young upstart offspring, ChatGPT, are the leaders of a generational tech trend that overwhelms us with vast amounts of data and noise. Trying to make sense of it is like trying to drink from a firehose.
According to recent research from WriterBuddy, there were over 24 billion visitors to the top 50 AI platforms in the last 12 months - that's three times the world's population!
AI technology not only challenges what we think the future looks like, but it will change it. It is also confronting the existential crisis of what it means to be human. We are creators, and we are always innovating our art and technology.
This transition will be challenging, but those who adapt will be rewarded with a new world at their feet. Writers who are storytellers, for example, will thrive. Graphic designers who can adapt to the AI image generator platforms will also thrive.
So, now that we have an understanding of the trend, let's look at the AI trends in more detail.
The top seven categories from the AI platforms that attracted 24 billion visitors in the last 12 months indicate that five of them are disrupting human creativity. This doesn't mean extinction; rather, these new tools are augmenting and accelerating the creative process and production.
We have to remember that AI is a disruptive technology, and it will continue to alter what the future looks like. Those who can adapt will be rewarded.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
