Covers creators. I wrote about the discussion between creators about Whether to form a labor unionI talked with ; Mark Fischbach (aka Mark Pilier) About his movie iron lung;scooped Substack’s new TV app;and wrote about TikTok and BuzzFeed movements Vertical video. I natalie@theankler.com
Happy Friday, And welcome to another edition of my new Creator Spotlight series. Check out last week’s interview fantasy soccer player host Andy Holloway hereno knowledge of soccer is required.
But today I’m thinking about something completely different. In just a few years, AI and its potential to transform our workplaces and creative spaces has gone from theoretical to real. very Authentic. But even though technology is amazingly changing the way we live and work, it can still feel frustratingly complex. input harper carrollA Stanford-educated computer scientist, he has spent his career developing AI models at companies such as Meta and Brev.dev, a startup acquired by NVIDIA in 2024. She is on a mission to educate people about AI on Instagram, where she has over 535,000 followers.
“I often hear people say they are afraid of AI without really knowing what it is,” says Carol, a 30-year-old from Austin, Texas. “When you actually look under the hood, it’s not that scary.”
Carol, who dreamed of becoming an actor as a child, was instead on track for a career as a tech executive when she created and submitted a coding guide to X in 2023. Although she only had 30 followers, her posts received over 50,000 views, so she decided to start sharing her knowledge about the platform. In 2024, she started posting on Instagram where she regularly analyzes big headlines about AI and helps people understand AI 101. 10 Days of AI Fundamentals The series on the app has been particularly popular, growing its Instagram audience from around 2,000 to more than 200,000 in just three weeks. She currently works regularly with brands such as Microsoft and enterprise AI platform Workday.
Carol also posts regularly on YouTube and TikTok. substackThere, she plans to provide her audience with deeper, more thoughtful writing about AI. She also told me exclusively that she would be starting a 4 week course. From AI user to AI builder This helps people learn the basics of how AI models actually work and how to use them to bring ideas to life.
“We want everyone to be able to understand not only how these models work and how to prompt them, but also how to actually use and benefit from these vibe coding tools,” Carroll says, referring to AI products that can be coded even by people without an engineering background.
“Technology like this has never existed in our lifetime,” she added. “This work is so empowering that I want to reach as many people as possible.”
What do you want people to learn from your videos about this topic that can still seem big and scary, especially for people in creative fields?
Harper Carroll: One of the things I try to get across to people is that AI is much more than just large language models or generative models. It’s a smart decision based on data. So is machine learning, and today’s AI is basically the same. Machine learning is about learning from data, and it’s not just about generative AI models such as image generation, audio generation, and text generation. But AI as a whole is gleaning insights from data, and these kinds of models are very powerful and being able to glean insights from data to make smart decisions is something that should be applied everywhere, in all industries. Possibilities include health promotion, cancer treatment, longevity and education, and personalized education for children. There are many benefits.
Many ethical concerns remain regarding these image generation models. These need to be considered carefully and it is important to understand that they are just one type of AI. There are many other possibilities, and the positive possibilities are endless.
There’s a lot to cover just by focusing on AI, but have you considered expanding into teaching adjacent topics?
AI will be applied everywhere in every industry. That’s spacious enough. But my spirituality and beliefs are really important to me. There is a podcast (polymath pod) with my best friend, kayla burns lentz — She’s a longevity expert, and we talk about longevity, AI, and science, as well as relationships and faith.
What can your followers expect from your Substack?
I send out weekly news updates, and someone replied, your take things on. Get your news from other places. I would love to know your thought. ” So I would like to share more such thoughts.
What was your first money as a creator?
It was about a year and a half ago, and I was working with a software company to share a large language model they had launched.
Describe a time when you were recognized in public.
I was at a conference and someone approached me. He had a position in an AI company, and he said, “Thanks to you, I was able to have a company. I was so intimidated by AI, and now I have a company that makes about 1 million ARR (Annual recurring revenue) At least — and it’s just the beginning, and I’m very happy. Thank you so much for educating me. ”Sometimes it feels like you’re talking into a void, so it’s nice to meet people face to face.
Who is your dream collaboration?
paris hilton. I love that she’s a really smart businesswoman. She has a lot going for a neurodivergent girl and I love how she embraces being pink and embraces herself. She is a great role model for women and girls.
What does my For You feed show?
It’s clearly AI content. However, there is also content for babies. I have a friend who is pregnant and now she sees all the pregnancy content.
Who is making you laugh on the internet right now?
Corporate Natalie. Just watch her videos and giggle.
