AI Is a Fast-Moving Train
Seedream: Curt Doty
Why Media Must Embrace the Inevitable
When you invite Evan Shapiro—the “official cartographer of the media universe”—onto your podcast, expect to be simultaneously entertained and warned. Shapiro, with his Emmy, Peabody, and a few battle scars from the media trenches, came ready with truth bombs. And many of them were aimed at the accelerating, destabilizing force we call artificial intelligence.
“If you refuse to engage with AI now, you'll be overwhelmed by it later,” he said. That’s not a prediction. That’s a guarantee.
Evan’s tone is half-professor, half-prophet, with a knack for calling out what most of the industry prefers to ignore. Our conversation on RealmIQ: Sessions ranged from AI’s creeping politicization to Hollywood’s dragging heels to the corporate chokehold Big Tech has on our so-called democratized future.
AI Has Been Politicized. Surprise.
We kicked things off discussing the elephant in the chat room: AI is no longer just a technology story—it’s a geopolitical flashpoint. “Technology should have no dogma,” Shapiro said. “Yet here we are, seeing AI being politicized like everything else”.
And who’s at the helm? The same Death Star-level corporations that monopolized Web 2.0. “You can now add NVIDIA to the collection of Big Tech death stars,” he said, lumping them in with Meta, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. “They’re not inherently evil, but they are inherently self-interested”.
In other words, we’ve seen this movie before. And this time, there’s no Luke Skywalker.
The Truth Crisis, Section 230, and Corporate Hypocrisy
One of Evan’s biggest concerns? The crisis of truth fueled by unregulated platforms. “The most important thing we can do in this country is repeal Section 230,” he declared, referring to the law that shields platforms from liability over user-generated content.
Big Tech, he says, loves to wave the anti-regulation flag—until someone threatens to take away the very regulation that protects them. “If you’re against regulation, then you should be against regulation. Don’t cherry-pick the ones that benefit your bottom line”.
Point made.
AI in the Workforce: Adapt or Drown
As someone advising media professionals daily, I’ve said it before: “AI is a fast-moving train—either get on or get run over by it.” Evan agrees. “What will happen to people who ignore AI? They’ll be overwhelmed and overcome as the technology proliferates”.
The World Economic Forum estimates 170 million new jobs will be created by 2030 due to AI—offset by 92 million lost. But the real transformation isn’t just in creation or displacement. “Hundreds of millions of jobs will be changed by AI,” Shapiro said. “So while your job may not be replaced by AI, it will be taken by someone who’s good at it”.
In other words, AI literacy isn’t optional. It’s survival.
AI in Hollywood: Time to Drop the Pearls
Hollywood has been especially cautious—some might say paralyzed—when it comes to embracing AI. But Shapiro says the future of film won’t be written by Luddites. “What I hope AI means is we’ll make more good movies. Because we’ll spend less time and money on the production stack”.
AI is already being used to de-age actors, automate editing, and even resurrect Jim Carrey’s performance in Sonic the Hedgehog without requiring him on set. But the true revolution is coming for indie creators. “The most important aspect of AI in filmmaking will be its ability to help emerging artists level up their production values”.
Cost reduction, speed, and accessibility aren’t threats—they’re creative liberation.
Madison Avenue’s AI Makeover
Adland might beat Hollywood to the punch. AI is perfectly suited for the chaotic, short-form, “scroll-stopping” aesthetic of modern marketing. “There’s already an agency that only makes AI spots,” I told Evan. “That’s groundbreaking.”
He nodded to Social Department, a company creating short-form promos using AI. In a head-to-head, an AI-assisted editor churned out far more content than a traditional one. “The AI editor didn’t need to watch three hours of Yellowstone—the AI did it for them,” Shapiro said.
The conclusion? AI isn’t taking your job. But someone using AI might.
AI Won’t Replace Artists—But It Will Empower the Brave Ones
One of my favorite Evanisms from our chat was this: “When AI decides to cut off its left ear because its girlfriend doesn’t talk to it, then it will be better at art than humans”.
Creative genius is rooted in dysfunction, passion, and humanity. No model, no matter how finely tuned, can replicate the tortured soul of Van Gogh or the erratic brilliance of a stand-up comic at 1 a.m.
But for the artists willing to experiment with this new brush? The results could be transformative.
“AI is just another tool,” Evan said. “What brush are you going to use today?”
Independent Creators Are the New Studios
In a world where studios consolidate and networks flounder, the creator economy is rising from the ashes. “Hollywood is circling the drain,” Shapiro said bluntly. “New media is where the future lies. There’s never been a better time to be an independent writer, filmmaker, or voice”.
Platforms like Substack, Beehive, and Patreon are becoming launchpads for talent. The audience is out there. You just need to find your niche—and own it.
Final Thought: Engage, or Be Erased
Evan’s closing analogy landed hard: “Jump in. Get wet. Or get pushed in and drown”.
It’s stark, but accurate. We’re not living in a future where AI might change everything. We’re living in a present where it already has.
So creatives, execs, educators, marketers: The time for curiosity is over. The time for engagement is now. Because the train’s not slowing down. And you don’t want to be stuck on the tracks.
About the Author
Curt Doty is a former studio executive and award-winning creative director with deep leadership experience across the entertainment and branding industries. Ten years in Television. Ten Years in Movies.
As the founder of CurtDoty.co, a creative consultancy, Curt has led integrated marketing, multi-channel storytelling, branding, identity, and user experience initiatives for a diverse roster of clients.
Over the past 15 years, Curt has leaned into innovation—leading R&D projects at Apple, Toshiba, and Microsoft, and pioneering interactive content for mobile, Blu-ray, and multi-touch eBooks at Trailer Park and Bemis Balkind.
Today, Curt’s work also explores the intersection of AI and entertainment. A sought-after fractional leader (CCO, CMO), speaker, and AI educator, he focuses on demystifying AI for creatives and executives alike. Speaker Kit is here.
He also hosts RealmIQ: Sessions, a podcast spotlighting thought leaders in tech, content, and design—continuing his role as a visionary voice in the future of creativity.
