(NOTE: Don't miss the Launch Event for this book on August 19, 2025. Click here for more details.)
I can hear you saying, "Not another AI book!" We are living through a season of huge disruption and these seasons always bring dramatic mood swings accentuated by hype and despair. And with each swing back and forth a slew of books appear to battle for our collective angst.
It is a warm, rich, and human exploration of what makes us human and how we as humans respond to major revolutions as we strive to make our mark. Micah describes a revolution as, "...simply a rotation, a complete turn. Revolutions surround us."
At the core of the book is a comparison between the ups and downs of vinyl records as digital music emerged and the ups and downs of human contribution as AI is emerging. The book highlights what is so unique about a vinyl record, "Vinyl asks something of you-your presence. And in return, it gives you something rare: a warm sound and tactile experience. Its comeback was a little bit nostalgia and a little bit rebellion against the perfection and convenience of the digital age."
It then goes on to encourage each of us that, "Vinyl found its way in a digital world. So will we."
But Micah does give a warning as he introduces this comparison, "Just as vinyl had no choice but to make room for digital, human creations must now make room for AI. This shift goes beyond our tools or mediums. It demands a cultural and existential metamorphosis. We're only just beginning to glimpse AI's emerging societal and philosophical identity, and its influence will continue to grow."
"AI isn't evil. AI is easy. And easy has a funny way of winning. Even when it shouldn't...We trade what's hard for what works. And risk what's lasting for what's easy."
After an enjoyable journey through the author's experience with the many media revolutions of the past 30 years, the book transitions to its core contribution. Micah dedicates a five chapters to helping people wrestle with how various disciplines navigate this revolution. The disciplines are described as: those who write, those who visualize, those who sing and play, those who speak and those who teach and learn. Each chapter helps the reader to wrestle with what a human contribution looks like as AI disrupts the discipline.
The author is very realistic about the impact on each of these disciplines when he says, "But in the broader creative world, revolutions are more than whimsical shifts in style. They introduce entirely new modalities of expression, redefining the relationship between creators and their work and reimagining how audiences engage with what they see, hear, and experience."
In the end, trust is a key part of his argument, "As the line between human and machine blurs, trust becomes the bridge between the creator and the audience, between presence and perception. That's the ground we're all standing on now. And it's where creative paths are starting to diverge."
As I took this journey through the history of media and the future of AI, I came away encouraged about my human contribution and thankful for all that I have experienced over the past 30 years of innovation and human creativity. I hope you will take the time to go on this journey yourself.
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