AI for the Rest of US - Issue #1

Your weekly guide to AI that actually makes sense.

Author

Desmond Nyamador
February 14, 2025

Ever felt like AI discussions sound like they're in a different language? I get it. That's why I created this newsletter—to help you understand AI without needing a PhD in computer science. Every week, I’ll break down what matters in AI the most minus the jargon and hype.

🔰 Beginner's Corner: What Actually IS Artificial Intelligence?

Forget the sci-fi movies. AI is simply software that can learn from examples and make decisions. Think of it like training a new employee: you show them examples of good work, they learn the patterns, and eventually, they can handle similar tasks on their own. That's AI in a nutshell.

The key difference? While humans can learn almost anything with enough practice, today's AI is "narrow"—meaning it's good at specific tasks (like writing emails or analyzing photos) but can't transfer that knowledge to completely different situations like humans can.

AI is powerful, but it’s not magic. It’s a tool—one that’s becoming increasingly sophisticated, helping businesses automate processes, improve decision-making, and enhance everyday experiences. While we’re making strides in AI development, true general intelligence—the kind that can reason, learn like a human, and adapt to any challenge—is still a long way off ( at least for now ).

📰 AI in the News: Goku - TikTok’s New AI Model

Goku is an AI tool that can automatically generate or edit videos by learning from existing data. Think of it as a supercharged video assistant: feed it a prompt, and it creates realistic clips, edits scenes, or even mimics styles. While AI-generated content has historically struggled with fine details—like rendering realistic human hands or syncing lip movements to audio—Goku appears to leap ahead

Why is this a big deal?

  • Hands: Ever seen an AI image where a person has six fingers or mangled palms? Older AI systems often “hallucinate” details when unsure, but Goku’s training on vast, high-quality video data seems to help it grasp human anatomy more accurately.

  • Lip-Syncing: Matching mouth movements to spoken words (especially across languages) is notoriously hard. Goku reportedly nails this, creating videos where speech and facial expressions align seamlessly—almost like a real actor.

🛠️ Tool of the Week: Midjourney

AI is evolving fast, and new tools are popping up every day. Each week, I’ll test a different AI tool—whether it’s for writing, design, automation, or something completely unexpected—and share my honest feedback. I'll break down what it does, how well it works, and whether it’s worth trying.

AI-generated art has come a long way, and MidJourney is one of the most impressive tools out there. You simply enter a text prompt in a chat, and within seconds, the AI generates four unique images based on your description. You can then refine, upscale, or remix the images for even better results.

🔹 What I Tried

I used MidJourney to generate an image based on the following prompt.

In a vast coastal desert where golden sand dunes meet a deep turquoise sea, a sleek, modern mirror rests on a weathered stone pedestal. The mirror's surface reflects subtle icons of daily habits--a book, a dumbbell, a heart--merging with the natural beauty of the landscape. The warm glow of a rising sun casts long, dramatic shadows over the dunes and illuminates gentle ocean waves in the background, evoking a sense of transformation, accountability, and inspiration. Hyper-detailed, photorealistic, cinematic lighting, and a surreal coastal desert atmosphere

The result? 👇🏾

While it has a bit of a learning curve with prompt crafting, the results are often breathtaking. If you're into design, marketing, or storytelling, it’s definitely worth a try!

Pro Tip: You can use an AI chatbot (like ChatGPT) to generate detailed prompts for you. Just describe what you want, and let the AI refine it into something MidJourney understands better. This can help you get more accurate and creative results!

Got Questions? 

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👋 Before You Go...

I know your inbox is valuable real estate, and I’m honored to be in it. Here's what you can expect from us every week:

  • Clear explanations that respect your time and intelligence

  • Tools and tips you can actually use tomorrow

  • Real stories from people and businesses like yours

  • Zero buzzwords, 100% practical insights

Share the Knowledge 

If you found this helpful, forward it to a colleague who's trying to make sense of AI. I’m on a mission to make AI accessible to everyone, one newsletter at a time.

See you next Friday!