The Creative Process

Discover practical insights on creativity, music, and entrepreneurship from writer and musicologist Mark Samples. These short, story-driven essays help artists and creators level up their careers with timeless lessons, smart frameworks, and real-world examples. Perfect for musicians, educators, and creative pros seeking growth.

Lessons with AI from a Faculty Member

I was asked to do a panel on AI in my Discipline at Central Washington University. I wrote down 16 micro lessons, and we got to only a couple of them. Reply with a number and I’ll explain what it means.

0/ the things I know vs. the things I don’t know / fellow traveler

1/ the weight-lifting robot

2/ AI as research assistant / My own personal New Yorker staff

3/ the jagged frontier

4/ the technology crisis of my generation

5/ run more experiments / think batting average

6/ bespoke learning tools:

⁃            The Renaissance style decision tree game

⁃            Music flashcards app

7/ big cycle assignments and small cycle assignments

8/ finding research topics

9/ worksheets

10/ the vindictive scholar (Q & A practice)

11/ fact checker GPT

12/ research topic GPT

13/ low-stakes assessments

14/ am I making sense? (assignment instructions)

15/ you only need four chords to play “Let It Be”

16/ Don’t replace, add