FINES ARTIS NARRANDI EXTENDERE

When I first started pushing content to the web in the late ’90s, I was writing AppleScript to extract text from QuarkXPress files and FTP them to a local newspaper website. If you’d told me then that twenty-five years later I’d be directing AI to generate stories, images, and interactive experiences, I probably would have assumed you were writing science fiction.

Yet here we are, living in what I’ve come to recognize as the third great era of digital storytelling. My professional motto – FINES ARTIS NARRANDI EXTENDERE (to extend the boundaries of the art of storytelling) – has taken on new meaning as these boundaries have shifted from technical constraints to the limits of human imagination itself.

Let me break down how we got here.

The first era was digitization – the great translation of analog to digital. We moved from print to pixels, from physical to virtual. Those of us working in digital media during this period were essentially creating digital versions of analog experiences. We were pioneers, yes, but pioneers of conversion rather than creation. We asked ourselves: “How do we take this thing that exists and make it work on a screen?”

The second era was socialization. Web 2.0 transformed storytelling from a broadcast model to a conversation. Suddenly, stories weren’t just being told – they were being shared, remixed, and co-created. User-generated content became as valuable as professionally produced material. The question changed from “How do we publish this?” to “How do we engage with our audience?”

Now we’re entering the third era: ideation. AI has fundamentally altered the relationship between imagination and creation. The question is no longer “Can we build this?” but simply “Can we imagine it?” The technical barriers that once constrained storytelling are dissolving, replaced by the boundless space of human creativity.

This shift brings both promise and peril. The democratization of creation means anyone with an idea can bring it to life. The tools that once required expertise – video editing, animation, coding, design – are becoming accessible through natural language interfaces. It’s a storyteller’s dream, right?

But here’s the thing: when everything is a story, truth becomes harder to discern. The ease of creation brings with it the ease of misinformation. Conspiracy theories can be wrapped in compelling narratives and convincing visuals with minimal effort. The line between fact and fiction, already blurry in the social media era, risks becoming invisible.

Yet I’m optimistic, because I’m seeing a fascinating counter-trend emerging: the rise of “slow content.” As AI makes instant creation possible, we’re developing a deeper appreciation for the human process of storytelling. The journey of creation – the iterations, the decisions, the human touch – is becoming as valuable as the final product.

Think about it like this: when photography became ubiquitous, it didn’t kill painting – it made us appreciate the artist’s interpretation even more. Similarly, as AI makes content creation effortless, we’re learning to value the distinctly human elements of storytelling: the choice of approach, the refinement of ideas, the deliberate imperfections that make something authentic.

The technical boundaries I’ve pushed against throughout my career – from AppleScript to social media algorithms to AI interfaces – have always been in service of one goal: finding better ways to tell stories that matter. But perhaps the most important boundary we need to push now isn’t technical at all. It’s conceptual: how do we maintain the human element in an era of automated creation?

This is where my motto takes on new relevance. FINES ARTIS NARRANDI EXTENDERE isn’t just about pushing technical boundaries anymore. It’s about expanding our understanding of what storytelling can be in an age where anything is possible. It’s about finding the sweet spot between technological capability and human creativity, between speed of production and depth of meaning.

As we venture deeper into the ideation era, I believe the most compelling stories will be those that embrace both the possibilities of AI and the intentionality of human creation. They’ll be stories that use technology not just as a tool for production, but as a means of exploration, iteration, and discovery. The process will become part of the story itself, and the boundaries between creator, tool, and audience will continue to blur in fascinating ways.

The art of storytelling has never been more expansive, more accessible, or more complex. And that’s exactly why we need to keep pushing its boundaries – not just technically, but ethically, creatively, and conceptually. Through stars to stars, through stories to stories, we continue to evolve.