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As all four of our guest writers made clear, the AI genie is firmly out of the bottle. Whether you love it or hate it - and I lean heavily to the dislike side - AI and machine learning are now part of our workflow. Every developer is looking to find a balance between adding AI features - so they appear to stay current with technology - without damaging their core market of selling products to media creators.
It is a delicate dance. Still, AI can only repeat what was done before, it can't create new out of whole cloth.
But that sentiment won't help you if you can't find work. As Mike Cavanagh wrote: "Creative cycles are compressing, and even emotional messaging is being shaped by automation and data.... The future of editing isn’t about which NLE wins. It’s about adapting to new workflows without losing creative judgment."
But how to retain that creative control? Quoting Jeff Greenberg: "Your network is your lifeline." Our biggest challenge is "the gap between what AI can do and what people believe it can do." It is easy to get overwhelmed by hype. "Focus on looking at the actual AI output. Some tools deliver. Most don’t. Our job is to know the difference."
Your clients and potential clients need to know what your creative skills are. Not just the tools you use, but what you create with them. Key phrases to consider for 2026: "Highlight your individual creativity," "build your network," and "learn what AI tools can't do - that you can."
The genie, as Sam Bogoch wrote, is out of the bottle. Our job is to figure out how to make that genie work for us. It won't be easy, but the alternative is worse.
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