Top Takeaways: 2026 ThinkLA Panel ‘The Rise of the Tinkerer’
30-minutes is tight for just about any panel to stick to, never mind if you’re getting 3 AI-focused creative leaders together! The panel got to talk the future of creativity with Joe Reynoso (Group Creative Director, INNOCEAN USA), Alicia Marder (Global Head of Creative, Android, Google) and myself (Matt Koulermos, Founding Partner, AdWaken.ai) at ThinkLA 's 2026 Creative Summit.
For those looking to start training up their 'AI muscles,' here are several key takeaways and hacks we discussed...
TOP 5 TAKEAWAYS:
1 - Invest in Yourself > Role
AI can help accelerate personal growth, whether you’re looking to rapidly build on existing skills or learning entirely new ones. Build up those capabilities that make you valuable beyond any one role or employer.
2 - Failure can fuel creativity
Sometimes, unexpected results can come from a few hundred ‘failed’ renders. Personally, I like to look for usable key frames from video outputs that don’t make the final cut.
3 - 'Opportunity in the Unknown'
AI is a very new, evolving technology, which is creating change across industries at an uncomfortable rate.
4 - Understand before you automate
Knowing what ‘good’ looks like helps a great deal before handing off any task to AI. Automating a process, good or bad, will only multiply the framework that’s been provided.
5 - Follow those already doing it
AI influencers LOVE sharing their secrets. Platforms, models and tools evolve at such a rapid rate that it’s hard to keep up. Let the early adopters keep tabs for you while you focus on what’s most relevant to expanding your own personal growth.
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TOP 5 STARTER HACKS:
1 - Start with a passion project Looking to dive into AI?
It’s a lot easier if you build a first project around something you already enjoy– whether it’s automating a repetitive task or moving you toward a goal that much quicker.
2 - Don’t Know How? Ask an LLM.
If you can’t think of a first project, have an LLM interview you to determine a first project that you find interesting enough to see through.
3 - Talking > Typing
Whether using Wispr Flow or ChatGPT Voice, speaking naturally to an LLM gives more context and removes the ‘self editing’ friction created by typing out a prompt.
4 - Limit your Platforms
There is infinite noise around AI and which platform is ‘best’ for any given task. Determine your end goal first, figure out your options for which platforms can get you there, then pick the one that feels most natural to you. Put your blinders on and learn that platform first before hopping to the next one.
5 - ChatGPT Projects > Claude Skills
For those first starting out, I find that adding context and instructions to a Project Folder in ChatGPT is much easier than trying to build out a Project and Skills in Claude. Honestly, I’ve spent an entire day in Claude only to come up empty handed with anything ready to ship. There are many Claude experts out there who have dialed in approaches, but be sure what they’re offering is actually what YOU need before making the time investment.