I made my first virtual mood board for a coming photo shoot with the help of AI yesterday. Back in the day, that would have required a meeting with at least one other person. Preferably one who can draw – because I can't draw to save my life! So what are my thoughts regarding my late arrival at the AI party? Great tools, for sure. But why did it also leave a bad taste in my mouth? Because it was not possible to get it to where I really wanted it. I do confess that I am a bit of a newbie at prompting, so maybe it was my own fault. But I had to make do with good enough. My attempts at improving with what I thought were very clear prompts actually made things worse. The final result was still better than if I had made a hand-drawn sketch, for sure. But I believe this is the danger; that too many people will make do with good enough, rather than making sure we have done everything we can to make something as good as possible. Whichever way we look at it, AI is here with many possibilities, and you will hear more about it here on WorldTempus. Especially in our coming op-eds, where we will, for instance, discuss AI’s role in watch design, as well as in the mechanical aspects of watchmaking. Just look at the IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Eternal Calendar. If it weren’t for computer simulations that made around 23 trillion calculations regarding the size of wheels and teeth, it would never have reached the world record-breaking accuracy of its moon phase, which will only deviates by one day in around 43 million years.
When I am not trying to get my head around new tools, I am currently hard at work cutting through red tape to prepare for my move to Geneva at the end of the month. An interesting moment was when a crucial computer said I did not exist in the population register despite living in Switzerland for 13 years. Thankfully the humans running the migration department could confirm my existence – but here’s the thing: they could not fix the computer. Instead, I should appear at the counter of the migration office in downtown Basel. But don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining. No, I am extremely grateful for my years in Basel, and I am even more grateful for this fantastic opportunity to be full-time in the heart of watchmaking. Since November I have been commuting weekly, and it is going to be such a relief to remain permanently in the beautiful city of Geneva – have you seen the sugar-coated mountains and the icy blue lake at this time of year?
In Geneva, I look forward to having more time to spend with my family and friends. Because there is nothing virtual or AI about being with people. You can’t replace that with anything. So, if you are in Geneva: I look forward to seeing more of you. If you pass by Geneva, don’t be a stranger.
All the best,
