Getting Simple

#49: Cristóbal Valenzuela — Machine Intelligence, Interfaces for Creativity and Originality, the Freedom of Being a Startup, and Runway

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Runway's co-founder Cristóbal Valenzuela on the need for new creative interfaces to control complex algorithms that focus on results (not technology), the freedom of being a startup, and how machine intelligence is changing how we think, design, and make art.


Cristóbal Valenzuela is a technologist, artist and software developer interested in the intersection between artificial intelligence and creative tools. He is Runway's co-founder.

Previously, he co-founded Latent Studio, a creative studio specializing in machine learning and artificial intelligence. He also contributes to OSS and helps maintain ml5.js. His work has been sponsored by Google and the Processing Foundation and his projects has been exhibited in Latin America and the US, including NeurIPS, Santiago Museum of Contemporary Art, ARS Electronica, GAM, ACADIA, Fundación Telefonica, Lollapalooza, NYC Media Lab, New Latin Wave, DOCLAB, Inter-American Development Bank, Stanford University and New York University.

Connect with Cristóbal on his website, Twitter (@c_valenzuelab), or GitHub (@cvalenzuela).


Favorite quotes
  • "You don't care about the mathematical function that goes behind blurring [an image in Photoshop]. You just want the output of it—the creative output of moving a slider and having an effect applied to your video, your pixels, or content."
  • "When you think about using algorithms to help you and assist you in the editing process, you need [to find] a metaphor or tool that would allow you to collaborate with those algorithms."
  • "We need those new interfaces, metaphors, and systems. And that's all we're building, basically, those next-generation systems to help people create video and content."
  • "When you take that picture, no one is saying, 'Oh, the AI is biased' or 'The AI worked or didn't work' or 'It showed me new creative possibilities.' It just works."
  • "[Artificial intelligence] is a tool as any other tool. And so, in general, I think all the art tools that we're making will eventually reach that point where you're not too concerned about the systems you're using. You are just using it as a tool. And if it provides you with good results to explore the creative direction, you're going to use it again."

    • Links
    • NYU ITP
    • Runway ML
    • Made with Runway
    • Runway's Generative Media
    • Runway's Green Screen
    • Making albums with AI from our backyard: Claire Evans, Jona Bechtolt, and Rob Kieswetter of YACHT
    • Machine learning (concept)
    • StyleGAN (machine learning algorithm)
    • Building accessible tools for artists by Cris (article)
    • Descript

      People mentioned
      • Alejandro Matamala Ortiz
      • Anastasis Germanidis
      • Mario Klingemann
        Chapters
        • 0:00 · Intro
        • 0:28 · What's new with Runway ML?
        • 1:44 · We need new interfaces
        • 4:23 · The freedom of being a startup
        • 4:55 · How's life?
        • 5:38 · Built with Runway
        • 6:55 · ML Lab and Sequel
        • 8:08 · Interfaces to control ML algorithms
        • 10:31 · Machine intelligence in design, art, and architecture
        • 13:14 · Creativity
        • 14:23 · Originality and bias
        • 16:06 · AI as a tool
        • 18:13 · Thanks

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