Words by Anano Shalamberidze

Back in March, on a chilly evening in Paris, I found myself engaged in a discussion with Filip Koludrovic, my interviewee, about the potential long-term effects of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on society, culture, our minds, and our creativity. Partly due to my strong belief that an essential aspect of creativity is deeply rooted in human emotion and party due to the fact that I have seen Black Mirror twice, I’ve never considered myself to be particularly enthusiastic about talking with computers. However open to the idea to learn and adapt, I carefully listened to Filip’s musings. Filip, whom I consider to possess innate creativity, left me pondering his perceptions long after our conversation concluded.

Fast forward two months, Filip, known for his work as a photographer and creative director, is releasing his first-ever book titled I have never been to America. The book, compiled of text and images completely created with AI platforms, is a manifestation of Filip’s imagination and his fascination with the speed to which ideas can be materialized with the help of AI. “We are coming closer and closer to our figments of imagination being realized almost instantaneously and it’s extremely exciting for me.”

In his quest for finding authenticity in the digital era, Filip decided to use AI to create documentary photography. This approach led him to question what constitutes authenticity in a world dominated by manipulated visuals, why we travel and whether we chase experiences for the sole purpose of showing off on social media. His aim was to create an analog photography travel book, capturing the essence of a country he had never visited.

Why America?
Coming from a post-Communist country, Filip has always found America intriguing. Despite never having set foot on American soil, he grew up being captivated by the idealized portrayal of American culture in movies and TV shows. This curiosity, coupled with his experiences, inspired him to create the book.

“The authenticity we seek in an era dominated by manipulated visuals” 

When engaging in creative endeavors such as painting, photography, or writing a book, the human brain draws from its database of sonic and visual experiences, merging ideas to create something unique. AI becomes an extension of this process. Filip dedicated months to communicating with the AI platform, establishing a connection and mutual understanding. Graciousness was always present, with Filip ensuring to express gratitude and use polite language.

“Everytime you want to paint a painting, take a photograph, write a book, your brain is going to go through the database it has of sonic and visual experiences and will try to by merging these ideas create something of its own.”

For Filip, the creative direction facilitated by AI proved to be liberating, unbound by physical limitations. It enabled him to explore imaginative realms inaccessible through traditional photography. He wants people to realize that even if artificial intelligence generates the material, it is still the human inputting the prompts who retains creative control. “But this way, everybody can be a photographer!” one might exclaim. “Nowadays, everyone IS a photographer,” affirms Filip, considering the ubiquitous presence of iPhones and the ever-evolving definition of photography.

In Filip’s eyes, photography died six months ago, at least in the traditional sense.

Reflecting on his journey, Filip expresses a longing for the opportunities AI would have provided him if he had encountered it earlier in life. He believes that as we grow older, our dreams tend to diminish in some way, but with AI, his imagination would have soared to greater heights during his formative years.

Does Filip believe that the emotional process he underwent while working on the book paralleled the experience of physically traveling through the United States? In short, no. The absence of smells, touch, and other senses made it fundamentally different. Nevertheless, the process was intense for Filip, akin to a state of lucid dreaming where one realizes they are dreaming and can manipulate the universe. “It’s like you’re dreaming awake, you know? Have you ever had this moment in a dream when you realize that you are dreaming? You are in this universe where you can really do anything, teleport to places, imagine up unimaginable scenarios. I would wake up every day and try to imagine everyday parts of my life in different scenarios.”

Reviews from nonexistent magazines, photos of fictional contributing team members, and journeys that have never been undertaken – the book itself becomes a prop, blurring the boundaries between reality and imagination, offering an unprecedented visual experience.

https://www.filipkoludrovic.com/book

Now let’s hear the same story, only if it was written in a teenage girl’s diary.

Dear Diary,

OMG! I have to spill the tea about this crazy discussion I had with my interviewee back in March. It was like a freezing evening in Paris, and we got into this deep talk about AI and how it's gonna impact our society, culture, minds, and creativity. Can you believe it? Me, a tech-savvy guru? But I'm always down to learn new stuff, so I listened to what Filip had to say about AI and creativity. TBH, he's got some legit ideas that made me think even after our convo ended.

Fast forward two months, guess what? Filip is releasing his first-ever book called "I have never been to America." Girl, this book is something else! It's all made using AI platforms - the text, the images, everything! Filip's imagination mixed with the power of AI is mind-blowing. He's all about how AI can make our wildest imaginations come true in a flash. Like, imagine that, Diary!

Now, let me tell you why America became his obsession. So, he's from this post-Communist country, right? But America always had him hooked. He never even set foot there, but thanks to all those movies and TV shows, he grew up daydreaming about the cornfields, New York, Home Alone, and those yellow school buses. Like, total American culture vibes!

And get this, Diary! Filip had this genius idea to use AI for creating documentary photography. He wanted to explore what's real in this digital age, you know? Like, why do we travel and do stuff? It's all for social media, duh! So, he wanted to make this analog photography travel book about a country he never even visited. Can you believe that level of imagination?

Filip and AI became like BFFs during the process. He spent months communicating with the AI platform, making sure to always be polite and say "thank you" and "please." Such a sweetheart! And you know what's cool? AI gave him the freedom to go beyond physical limitations. He could bring his wildest ideas to life, way beyond what traditional photography can do. He wants everyone to know that even if AI helps create the material, it's still the human who calls the shots. We can all be photographers now, Diary! iPhones and all.

He said something deep, Diary. He wishes he had AI when he was younger because, as we grow older, our dreams kinda fade away. But with AI, he would have taken his dreams to the next level, you know? That really hit me.

Oh, and Diary, let's talk emotions. Filip said working on the book didn't give him the same feels as actually traveling through America. Like, no smells, no touch - it's different. But it was intense for him, like living in a dream but being awake. You know that feeling when you realize you're dreaming and can do whatever you want? He woke up every day and imagined his everyday life in crazy scenarios. It's like, Diary, he was living in a whole new universe!

And get this, Diary! The book is mind-blowing! Reviews from magazines that don't even exist, and photos of a made-up team. It's like reality and imagination blending together, creating something completely unique. It's wild, Diary, like nothing I've ever seen before!

Gotta go now, Diary. I'll spill more tea soon!

XOXO,
Anano