Thinking
The tools keep changing.The thinking is still yours.
I believe technology should expand what humans are capable of, not give us another excuse to stop thinking.
This is where I work that out in public: essays, frameworks, courses, books and talks. Take what's useful.
Three questions I keep asking.
If you only read three things here, read these. They're the thinking underneath everything else.
Fresh from the lab.
Essays, experiments and workflows from my free newsletter on Substack. This is where I think out loud, and this list updates itself.
Oct 23, 2026I Asked Claude to Make a Film. Then I Gave It Direction.A resulting two-minute experiment in what to delegate, what to judge, and when to step back into the creative process. | [Hu]man…
Oct 21, 2026I just want to learn AI...What are the differences between a workshop, a course, a seminar and an intensive? | [Hu]man Element • 003
Oct 20, 2026AI Makes Bad Communication Look GoodWhen AI fills the gaps in your thinking, how do you know which ideas were actually yours? AI LAB | The [Hu]man…
Oct 16, 2026Is AI Making You a Better Creative, or Just a More Productive One?The work you're producing might be getting better. That doesn't necessarily mean you are. AI LAB | The [Hu]man Element
Oct 13, 2026The Day the Smile FadedWhat a 1929 Soulard Brick Wall Teaches Us About Market Shifts
Oct 13, 2026Mining the Goldmine: How to Turn 1 Hour of Casual Conversation into 6 High-Ticket Client Inquiries with AIA real-world breakdown of using Gemini to convert podcast appearances into pipeline momentum—without writing generic AI fluff.
03 · AI LAB · Courses, Resources & Client Training
Where the learning happens.
If the newsletter is where I think out loud, AI LAB on Podia is where the teaching lives: courses, resources, and the private training I build for client teams. It changes as the tools do, so there's always something new.
A sample of what's inside right now
Ten books and counting.
I've been writing books to teach creatives how to use AI since 2022. These two are the best place to start.
Creative Control
The human-first guide to Adobe Firefly and generative workflow. It covers the full Firefly suite (image, video, vector, audio and text-to-graphic) using the [Hu]man Element framework to keep you, not the algorithm, in command.
Midjourney: Back to Basics
A comprehensive introduction to Midjourney: image generation techniques, creative strategies and the fundamental principles for beginners.
So I hate to call him a liar right off the bat – but his book goes WAY beyond the basics… the book is so damn good.— LES GUESSING
Prefer to listen?
Masterclasses, podcasts and conference talks, most of them recorded.
- AdWorld Prime · 2025Learn to See + Describe: Mastering Intentional Image Creation with GenAIMasterclass →
- TechSmithCreative Problem Solving with AI & the Human ElementVideo →
- Everyday AI · Ep. 125Futurecrafting: The AI Creative RevolutionPodcast →
- The Futur · 2023How to Leverage A.I. Art Tools for SuccessInterview →
The Future-Proof Creative Pro’s AI Playbook.
This isn’t another “AI tips & tricks” course. Over 5 lessons, I’ll show you the 5 biggest mistakes Creative Pros make with AI—and how to fix them. You’ll learn to amplify your voice, avoid wasted effort, and build a creative moat that keeps you future-proof.
- Amplify their voice instead of flattening it.
- Stop wasting time with random prompting.
- Build systems that make AI work for them.
- Create a creative moat that makes them irreplaceable.
- 0Day 0 · on sign-upWelcome & setup for what’s ahead
- 1Day 1No Creative OS → Lost in the Noise
- 2Day 2Flattened Voice → Work That’s Wallpaper
- 3Day 3Output Obsession → Filler Over Fuel
- 4Day 4Tool Addiction → No Director’s Chair
- 5Day 5No Creative Moat → Easy to Copy
- 6Day 6 · bonusRecap → The full playbook, at a glance
![The [Hu]man Element](/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/bs-hu-element.png)
© 2026 Brian Sykes · theBrianSykes.com