Training AI + more stuff

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Training AI for fitness

Japanese sportswear brand Asics (アシックス) have launched a campaign that’s training AI to create more inclusive and representative images of fitness as an activity beyond über fit athletes.

training AI

Asics called these über fit representations exercise airbrushing.

https://youtu.be/eo13_v_Ase8

Generative AI is only as good as the source material that it gets to work from. And this has meant a lot of content that is heavily skewed what is the aggregate image. Think about the kind of content that already creates body dysmorphia across society. This can be corrected by training AI on a wider range of images.

In the words of Asics EMEA communications director Caroline Fisher

We’re training AI to see the real power of exercise.

Ask AI what exercise looks like and it’s likely to generate images of chiselled jaws, muscles on muscles and six-packs. Because AI has been taught that exercise is purely about aesthetic gain … and it’s learnt this from us.

This focus on exercise purely for physical transformation is feeding into unrealistic body standards and impacting our mental wellbeing.

In response, we’ve created an AI Training Programme to help AI learn what exercise really looks like. Our aim is to teach AI that the benefit of exercise is not just on the body, but also on the mind.

Everyone can help change the way AI sees exercise by posting their exercise images online with #TrainingAI and tagging ASICS.

To learn more, see the link in the comments.

We are ASICS. Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, a Sound Mind in a Sound Body.

Caroline Fisher on LinkedIn

Five men of Edo

Another great mid-century chambara film to follow up the 47 Ronin that I shared in an earlier post.

Nissan borrows from YouTube culture

Nissan borrowed from the Lofi Girl YouTube channel to make this four hour advert for their new Ariya electric vehicle. The illustration is wonderfully done and there are Easter eggs buried in the Japanese driving scenes. From Nissan iconic model name drops to mecha and more.

Judi Oyama

Judi Oyama is a Japanese American skateboarder and graphic designer who was there at the beginning of Independent trucks and Santa Cruz boards. At 63 years old she’s still a pro-skater.

WWE on fan engagement

Interesting video having different generations of WWE wrestling stars talk about fan engagement at SXSW. Elements of what we’d call method acting were talked through by The Undertaker. The para-social links of fanbase and stars that has been amplified via social media.

Flow state

I wish I had watched this when I first started DJing. I did my best work when I was in a flow state. It is hard to get in it consistently.

China on war path

China’s rapid militarisation discussed by Singapore public broadcaster CNA (Channel News Asia). There are some interesting points in it.