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Timeless Beauty
My Next Frontier: “Top-Tier Car Advertising,” Can AI Rise to the Challenge?
Watch with sound on. Below are my reflections and findings from this ongoing exploration.
1. Color
AI’s color rendering remains question, lacking nuance and emotional precision. As a result, I leaned into black and white, where light and shadow could speak more eloquently. If and when AI evolves to understand color through a cinematic lens—factoring in the why behind every aesthetic decision (Anamorphic vs Spherical, vintage glass vs modern lens, LUT development, location vs the volume)—then we’ll enter a new chapter. Why are we choosing this look? That’s the heart of cinematography, right? And if AI reaches that sophistication, it becomes a INTIMIDATING creative tool.
2. Live Action
The more I experiment with AI, the more I appreciate the irreplaceable textures of live-action. Like how some filmmakers choose 16mm, 35mm, VistaVision, or IMAX—AI becomes another look, not a replacement. Directors with a refined taste will still reach for the tangible: the imperfect, the tactile, the real format to record on. AI won’t eliminate live-action; it will elevate its value. But here’s the catch: how many projects today are shot digitally versus on film?
3. Short Form & Social Content
This is where AI will likely dominate—quick-turn storytelling, SNS content, and concept creation. But the winners won’t be those who merely master “the how to create,” but those who own “the why.” In a world where barriers to creation are disappearing, storytelling, the reason something exists, will matter more than ever. Craft, purpose, and narrative skillset are the new currency.
4. Car Models
I spoke with a HailuoAI rep at NAB. They’re developing dedicated Car Models—assets that allow consistent visual outputs from any angle. Think of it as a sibling to Character Models, Director Models, and Style Refs. Great news towards more production-ready AI pipelines.
5. The Bubble
The explosion of AI tools is dizzying. Runway today, Kling tomorrow. Subscriptions pile up. Fatigue sets in. But we’ve seen this before. Before Google, there were Archie, Yahoo!, Lycos, Infoseek. History reminds us: tools come and go. What endures is understanding the value of, the fundamentals. Learn to wield the tool, not be seduced by its novelty.
6. Tastemakers Will Lead
More than ever, we need curators and tastemakers, those who bring a keen eye, a rooted sensibility, and an authentic voice. AI is a force multiplier, but only when guided by vision. Those who master taste will not be replaced—they will be amplified.