KNOXVILLE, TN — When Author Mark Schaefer published a book called “Audacious,” he knew it had to be, well, audacious. In a collaborative effort with New York agency Giant Spoon, his new book features an AI-driven, ever-changing “infinity cover.”
The book, which explores how humans fit in an AI-dominated world, feature a bold QR code on the cover. When readers hold a smartphone up to the QR code, a mesmerizing art display launches, morphing the cover into abstract interpretations of stories from the book.
“This is a first in the world innovation,” said Schaefer, “a unique cover that actually demonstrates the ideas from the book. To stand out today, you have to disrupt the story, where the story is told, and who is telling the story. This cover does all three.”
The colorful, mutating cover was a six-month technical effort driven by Schaefer and Giant Spoon. The book was uploaded into a generative AI system. The algorithm was trained on sample art pieces which set the style and color palette of the abstract art. Through the final system, a series of displays representing stories from the book virtually snap onto the cover, even if the reader moves around.
“This was a true technical breakthrough that provides an immersive experience for the reader,” Schaefer said. “People have compared it to a book with a video game vibe.”
“Audacious: How Humans Win in an AI Marketing World,” is Schaefer’s eleventh book. He is a consultant, keynote speaker, and faculty member of Rutgers University. Schaefer is the executive director of Schaefer Marketing Solutions.
Giant Spoon is a full-service agency with offices in New York and Los Angeles. The company has been named by Fast Company magazine as one of the most innovative companies in the world.
- A video example of the cover can be found here.
- The AI-activated book cover can be found here.
- Photos of the book author can be found here.
