I have been writing for a living for 30 years. I have often reported on the latest technological developments.
When I tried ChatGPT in November 2022, I was stunned, surprised and fascinated at the same time.
I had tried AI tools over the years.
They were technically interesting. But their practical value was close to zero.
ChatGPT changed that. Since then, countless other tools have come out for text, images, audio, video and many other applications.
The world is not the same anymore, especially in my profession. And many people experience this shift as well: Creative professions in particular are directly affected by the boom in generative AI.
And that’s what this website and this newsletter are about.
I just have to write about it. I can’t help it.
I compare this to the day I visited the NASA website for the first time in 1997 and sensed the potential of the internet.
Or when I used Google in 1999 and the top result was exactly what I was looking for (older people will remember).
Or when I got the first iPhone as a review device in 2007 and afterwards tried to set up internet and email on my Nokia.
With that being said: I can see both the potential and the dangers. That’s why I don’t just present new tools on this site, but also look at the criticisms for example.
From my point of view, both are true at the same time: AI is an opportunity, but it is also a threat.
My professional background
My personal background is in journalism. I started as a local reporter and got a formal apprenticeship at German publishing house Burda Media. Since 1999, I have worked almost exclusively online. For example, I’ve been managing editor for websites with millions of page views.
Since 2015, I help companies as CONTENTMEISTER® to create content that reaches and inspires their target audience. Generative AI is directly relevant in this role as well.
At the same time, I have always experimented with my own internet projects. Together with Falk Hedemann, for example, I publish UPLOAD Magazin, a learning platform for content professionals. (German only)
Smart Content Report started on 12 January 2024 as a newsletter in German at UPLOAD Magazin. The English version followed a few weeks later on LinkedIn.
About this website
In September 2024, I decided to add this website. It since serves as a reference tool and archive for me. I can also use it to report news quickly, rather than having to wait until the next issue of the bi-weekly Newsletter is due.
I hope you find this website useful as a source of information. It is meant to give you an overview of trends in the field, new tools and discussions.
If you have any questions, comments or requests, please contact me at jan@contentmeister.com. Or follow me on LinkedIn.
– Jan Tissler