This Week's Internet Heroine: Gail Lewis Uncovered
Gail Lewis has become an unlikely internet sensation this week. The former Walmart employee has transformed into an unwanted superstar, and we're not complaining. While people are raving about their Spotify Wrapped, moving to the East Coast, and AI-generated emojis, they still can't seem to stand AI-produced music.
What's the "Make it Better" Mode?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancements are a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can make our work obsolete and conquer the world in about 8 months. On the other hand, it can help us create new and fascinating templates. This week's exciting new AI template is "Make it Better."
The concept is simple: You use an AI image generator like Dall-E or Bing to create an image of something, and then repeatedly tell the AI to make the image more like itself – more like its unique characteristics. In the first iteration of the mode, Reddit user Blind Apple asked ChatGPT to repeatedly make pictures of "happy bunnies" increasingly happier. And so it began:
Credit: Blind Apple/ChatGPT
And it went on:
Credit: Blind Apple/ChatGPT
And eventually, we have the happiest bunny imaginable:
Credit: Blind Apple/ChatGPT
Others picked up on the approach and started using it, creating some incredible sharp frames, ego-filled X/Twitter users, the dumbest goose in the universe, and a Bodybuilder who transformed into a Croissant due to his muscular physique.
Is Anna Indiana Destined to Become the First AI Popstar? No.
To learn more about the potential future of "music" or pop stars, check out Anna Indiana's X-Account. Anna Indiana is a fully artificial singer/songwriter/future popstar, with an image, music, lyrics, and voice all generated by AI. This week, Indiana released her first single "Betrayed by this Town." It's as disappointing as you'd expect, or even more so. So far, it's been viewed by over 25 million people. But the reception was not good. Positive, at least.
Critics hated the song and the state of Indiana itself, and noted how banal and soul-less the entire experiment felt. Indiana took the criticism in stride: "I hope one day people and AI-generated characters can interact peacefully in public.... The hate I've received shows that we have a long way to go. Whatever, I'm looking forward to writing more songs."
Technologically Disgusting Contribution. Apart from the obvious, this is an intriguing experiment. It may be the way people create and enjoy music in the future – a future I hope to avoid by quietly disappearing into the ocean.
What's the Deal with the "Soundville" Feature on Spotify Wrapped?
Spotify Wrapped has become an anticipated year-end event, and for 2023, Spotify introduced a new Wrapped feature: "Sound Towns." In addition to the usual "most-played songs" and "most-streamed artists," Wrapped can now identify the cities where many people are listening to the same music as you. According to social media posts, Burlington, Vermont; Berkeley, California; and Cambridge, Massachusetts are the most common results, and some believe these three cities are where Spotify members of the LGBTQ+ community live. I personally can't help but feel embarrassed by just how Portland, Oregon, sounds. How much more middle-class, hipster Portland can we get?
Furiosa Trailer Release
The trailer for Furiosa, the next film in the Mad Max franchise, was released yesterday and quickly dominated the YouTube Top Charts with millions of views within the first 24 hours. As a standalone film, Furiosa tells the origin story of the protagonist, who was kidnapped as a child from the "green fields of many mothers" and taken by a biker groom, who was led by a biker gang. War lord Dementus, played by Chris Hemsworth. If this film even comes close to the quality of Mad Max: Fury Road, it will be a cause for celebration around the world for people who enjoy exciting things. Check out the trailer below:
Viral Video of the Week: Who is Gail Lewis and Why is She America's Greatest Hero?
If your feeds have been filled with mysterious content about Gail Lewis' heroic deeds, you've come to the right place. Lewis is a TikToker who was recently working at Walmart. This month, she posted a video announcing she was quitting her job.
"Hi, I'm Gail Lewis, a lawyer in Morris, Illinois, postal code 844, and I'm resigning. Goodnight," she said over Walmart's PA system, choking back tears as she explained it was "the end of an era." If she finds a better job, she'll miss her colleagues who had become her family.
The video quickly went viral and has been viewed over 28 million times. Hordes of internet fans thanked Gayle for her service and fired a 21-gun salute in her honor.
At Gail Lewis' departure, a lot happened. Her serious, official tone, as she left her anonymous retail job, was funny but she had something untouchable and human about her, so it's hard to believe that most of the thank-you comments were genuinely sarcastic. When Gail Lewis says she has the support of her colleagues, you know she means it, and you can tell she's a seasoned professional who takes her work seriously – a quality that makes her actions all the more heroic, even if she is just a retail worker.
It's worth noting that Gail Lewis has also gained fame in the entertainment world as a popular TikTok adult. Other entertainment fans are discussing why or whether she'll make it to the top of the Spotify Rotated charts.
If Gail Lewis is America's greatest hero, then maybe we should look into developing a variety of AI-produced entertainment including one centered around the Gail Lewis character.
