CREATIVITY ot long ago, I got into a discussion about AI with a very N charming, multiple Grammy-winning musician. Now, this is an artist at the top of his field—not someone who would likely need or want robot help to do what he already does so well. But part of being a great artist is staying curious, which may be why he gave me a few minutes to tell him what was going on in my part of the world that I thought might have a big future impact on his part of the world. “I’m going to tell you a bit about how AI could transform the work you do,” I said. “The first thirty seconds of what I tell you are going to scare the crap out of you. But I hope by the second minute you’re going to be curious, intrigued, and delighted.” I thought that was a pretty good hook. He said, “Uh huh . . . ?” “All right,” I began. “Right now, I have access to nonpublic software that can, for example, almost instantaneously create lyrics, music, and so forth, in the style of John Lennon. It won’t be great. It won’t be, ‘Whoa, it’s the next “Imagine.”’ But it will be something like, ‘Oh yeah. Yeah, I can hear how John Lennon could have made that.’” The musician said, “Okay, I’m terrified.” 46