Generative AI tools like Midjourney and Runway can help make strong visuals. But the tools need the creative spark and expertise of experienced newspeople. Kevin Donnellan from Explainable talks through the basics of navigating the must-have tools for any newsroom.

1. CRACKING
GENERATIVE AI
How to get the most from image, text and video creation tools
Kevin Donnellan
@kevind04
@explainable.bsky.social

2. Storyful - UK Editor
Trends Editor
Reuters - UGC & fact-checking
teams
Meta/Facebook - Curation team

3. Training on generative AI
tools
1
Ethical AI
implementation
2
Making AI work for the
creative industries
3

5. HYPE V
CYNICISM
• Some of the hype is justified
• And most of the cynicism

6. HYPE V
CYNICISM
• Is AI coming for our jobs?
• Journalism V tasks within
journalism

7. THE AI ERA
• November 30, 2022`
• Doomism
• Evangelism

8. THE AI ERA
• Early adoption problems
• Legal uncertainty
• Ethical uncertainty

9. THE AI ERA
• “AI has no intent. No
desires. No wants. No
vision. It is a remix of the
past,” Neil Turkewitz”
• ‘Just’ an assistant
• But what an assistant

10. Too vague
AI
POLICY
Too rigid Already out of
date

11. THE TOOLS
Basic Advanced

12. ChatGPT
THE TOOLS
Bard Claude
Anthropic
“training helpful, honest,
and harmless AI
systems”
Google
Intergrated with Google
Apps
Strong alternative
OpenAI
Free version GPT-3
Paid version GP-4
Paid - multi-modal
Grot
““based & loves
sarcasm.”
CHAT

13. CUSTOM GPTS
• First draft better than no draft
• Begin at stage 5 versus stage 1
• What do you need?
• Time saver, not miracle

14. CUSTOM GPTS
• “good output versus something that
looks like good output” Chris Moran
• site:chat.openai.com/g/ journalist
• Rephrase, refine, reask
• Elevate the expert

15. Dall-E
THE TOOLS
Midjourney Stable Diffusion
IMAGES
OpenAI
Integrated with GPT-4
Free with Microsoft
Image Creator
Best: Prompts
Midjourney Inc
Subscription: £8 per
month
Limited Free
Discord
Best: Quality
Stability AI
Free version GPT-3
Paid version GP-4
Paid - multi-modal
Discord
Best: Experiments

16. DISCORD
• Access through Midjourney or Stable Diffusion
• Dive into community
• Midjourney Explore

17. IMAGE CREATION
• Midlibrary
• DM the bot
• Precision, not brevity

18. IMAGE CREATION
• Settings are key

19. IMAGE CREATION
• Vary (region) allow precision
• Available when
upgrading an image

20. IMAGE CREATION
• /tune
• Train your own style
• Sticky style keeps the last code

21. TEXT-TO-VIDEO
• Not there yet
• Pika Labs and Runway are the best.
IF you need to attempt it:
• Generate images separately
• Slight animation
• Approach like a movie trailer
• Lean on music
• And strong theme

22. AVATAR VIDEO
• Talking heads
• Studio D-ID
• Add proprietary characters

23. TEXT-TO-AUDIO
• Eleven Labs
• Voices can trend on social
• Total runtime

24. RESOURCE
Page
• Search for Custom GPTs: site:chat.openai.com/g/
[insert word or phrase]
• Midlibrary: style library https://midlibrary.io/
• Midjourney: browse great images
https://www.midjourney.com/explore
• Midjourney: Past models info
https://docs.midjourney.com/docs/models
• Midjourney: style tuner how to
https://docs.midjourney.com/docs/style-tuner
• Reddit communities: Midjourney, Dall-E 2,
ChatGPT

25. THANK YOU
FOR LISTENING!
Feel free to send in any questions to
contact@explainable.online or
@kevind04