Artificial (AI) was once the stuff of sci-fi movies, but now you can get easy access to AI programs that can help you create modeling headshots or format a resume. But the real sign that AI has hit the mainstream is celebrity endorsements. One former big-name athlete is leading the way for AI innovation with an exciting new platform for creators.
You most likely know him for kneeling during the national anthem, but now the civil rights activist and former NFL quarterback is making a move into the tech space with his new AI platform called Lumi.
Lumi has been built as a platform for independent writers looking to create image-focused work like comic books or graphic novels. The platform hopes to democratize storytelling and allow any creators to bring their stories to life, without the barriers that they would normally face. The beta version is currently available for creators to sign up to.
This project all started when Kaepernick himself tried to publish his own work and build his media and publishing company. Once he started the process he found himself faced with high production costs, long timelines, and gatekeeping in general that made it difficult for even him, a person with means and fame, to get his work made. When AI platforms like ChatGPT broke into the market he started to use the systems and realized the potential they hold for storytellers.
“Lumi addresses an unnecessary dependency on gatekeepers that slows creators down,” Kaepernick says. “This allows creators to get back to what they ultimately want to do: create. The platform empowers creators to work freely and independently, deciding when and how they want to collaborate with others. This independence is crucial for fostering a vibrant and diverse ecosystem.”
The platform plans to focus on graphic novel and comic book creators first. This market requires multiple skill sets; writers, illustrators, graphic designers, etc., and Lumi hopes to use AI to make this production process more straightforward for creators, especially for anyone who has a gap in their skill set. This means that a creator with a great vision can get their comic book made even if they don’t have the artistic skills to draw it up themselves. The platform hopes to make the production process more independent and to reduce exploitation in the industry.
Kaepernick’s platform has already raised $4 million in venture capital funding, with a seed round led by Seven Seven Six, alongside Kapor Capital and Impellent Ventures. Its angel investors include rapper Chamillionaire, founder of minted Mariam Naficy, and managing partner of Greylock Partners David Sze.
Comic book and graphic novel industries can have difficult barriers to entry, often requiring a fully developed product before it’s even considered for production. What Lumi is doing is lowering these barriers to entry; connections, finance, technical skills, and allowing creators to do what they do best—create. If successful, this means that Lumi could lead to us seeing more diverse creators and voices that we might not have seen otherwise.
The platform promises to help creators at all steps of the production process. Using AI technology built on foundational models, users can interact with the platform to illustrate a character, draft dialogue, and construct a narrative journey to create a finished comic book or graphic novel product.
But the platform doesn’t just stop at creation, it can also help with distribution. Once a story is finalized, realtors can distribute their work on Lumi, turn their work into physical copies, and even create marketing and merchandise tools. This makes Lumi a great option for not just creators missing a creative skill, but also for anyone who simply needs a platform and some help getting their product out into the world.
It will be interesting to see how this platform inevitably deals with copyright issues. We’ve already seen this issue pop up across industries, with the New York Times suing OpenAI for training its program to create articles that mimic the publisher’s work. Writer and comedian Sarah Silverman (alongside other writers) also sued OpenAI and Meta for using their work to train large language models that AI platforms use. Copyright issues have also been seen in music, art, and film.
Lumi does provide creators with full ownership over their work created through the platform, but as for the risk of potential copyright infringement with other works, it seems that the company’s plan is to continue as is and work within the law as it develops around AI.
Another concern with AI, especially within creative fields is that it could take away work from people in the industry. The recent WGA and SAG strikes in Hollywood were particularly concerned with AI taking over industry jobs. The strike ended with an agreement that AI can be used as a tool in writing and under the control of the workers, but it cannot be used as a replacement for writers.
Lumi seems to be handling concerns in a similar way, advertising the platform as a tool for creators, rather than a replacement for them. The aim is that the service will actually help break more comic book and graphic novel creators into the industry.
Lumi is still in the beta stage and creators can now sign up. Time will tell if this new platform can help break in new talent and speed up the production process for aspiring writers.