001: Gathering our flowers
This is an internal monthly newsletter I write for GenAI at Canva. To share publicly, I strip out internal research shared and references to current projects.
A florilegium has many different applications, but the intent is the same: take many small things to create a larger compendium. In the literal context, it is flowers (hence the Latin root *flor*). In other contexts, it is words, gathering the best to create a unique and larger body of work.
I love this concept. It perfectly encapsulates the creative process in my brain and the disparate connections it seems to form as someone with ADHD. Growing up, I hated it and always felt abnormal. Now, I see it as a superpower in this age of information and innovation. Tiny pieces of knowledge and insights form together to create a new idea, a sudden realisation or a different perspective.
As our world shifts with the rapid development of AI, we’ll need to build the library of florilegia. The mistake we often make is to focus solely on tech and AI news and forget about the world happening around us. This will lead us to building tech products for tech people living in tech cities in their tech bubbles.
Florilegia aims to bring the disparate thoughts and conversations in my mind to paper. I hope this sparks something new for you. ✌
🤖 Across AI
In response to the growing dominance of algorithms, there's a rising preference for human curators. While algorithms are often criticised for their biases, we rarely scrutinise the biases in humans. Matt Klein emphasises the need for skepticism towards human curators, stating that "What we ultimately require...is the energy to explore, discover and share new works."
Awarri, a Nigerian AI startup, has been chosen to lead the country's first government-backed large language model (LLM) project. This initiative aims to boost the representation of Nigerian languages and culture in AI systems, highlighting a significant step towards technological inclusion and cultural preservation.
A group of researchers experimented with 3 types of models (Large Language Models,Visual Language Models and Diffusion Models) to help designers augment their UI design. While the limitations are long, their findings show that designers can use LLMs to generate initial design drafts, VLMs enable efficient searching through vast collections of app screenshots, and Diffusion Models create unique design elements that inspire new UI ideas.
“AI itself can’t generate good taste for you.” Elizabeth Goodspeed argues about the importance of developing taste in the age of AI. While there are inspiration platforms and public tastemaking, “developing taste is an exercise in vulnerability: it requires you to trust your instincts and preferences.”
A study from UNIST finds that LLM-based conversational agents can enhance critical reflection and reduce design fixation in group design work. These conversational agents (CAs) can shape group discussions by adopting roles such as recommender, analyst, dissenter, and facilitator. The research suggests that while high-performing AIs excel as recommenders, their most impactful use may be as dissenters, providing critical perspectives that challenge prevailing opinions and encourage diverse viewpoints.
AI as a plaything? Flusser's framework of the Apparatus suggests AI could transform work into play, emphasising creativity and interaction rather than productivity alone.
🌏 Across the world
Dune uses a mix of brutalist and modernists influences, but did you know that the design team had a strict No Internet policy. As Patrice Vermette recounts, “if you go on the internet, it's actually a very shallow pool of images.”
Soap bubbles have fascinated various cultures throughout history, symbolising themes like the fragility of life. Even scientists like Robert Hooke and Isaac Newton used them to study color and light.
Is it just me, or has everyone had 2 or more existential crises in their life? In a recent study, sociologists Marita Flisbäck and Mattias Bengtsson explore the existential challenges of late modern society, focusing on how life's inherent uncertainties and the unequal distribution of resources shape social relations and individual meaning-making. They contend that pivotal life events, such as birth and death, profoundly affect our understanding of existence, highlighting the need to look at life from a wider perspective to navigate these complexities.
Want a trip down memory lane? The Winamp Museum, made by Jordan Eldredge, offers an easy way to scroll through those memories.
The 'brat' aesthetic is dominating the digital and fashion landscapes, signalling a shift from the minimalist 'clean girl' vibe back to a more exuberant 'party girl' (a la Kesha, IYKYK). Charli XCX's album cover—a low-resolution lime green square with a stretch, low-res Arial—was criticised, leading her to question fans' expectations of female artists. In an interview with Vogue Singapore, she explained her provocative colour choice aimed to challenge pop culture norms, describing the album as "confrontational."
