We're live! Welcome to The Subthread

Hey there,

After months of plotting, caffeinating, and pestering industry friends about what they actually want to read, The Subthread is finally live and here is its first newsletter. Welcome, this is your new home for sharp ideas, human storytelling, and optimism with bite (never the bland LinkedIn kind).

Building this in eight weeks with three people? Like running a marathon in flip-flops. I’ve become a designer, podcaster, marketer, developer, and finance whiz – all before lunch. How did we survive? Tools, lots of tools. This morning alone: Flora and Midjourney for imagery, Dia browser for research, CapCut for socials, Descript for editing, Canva for brand consistency, and a rotating cast of AI sidekicks for everything else.

So, why are we here?

Because keeping up with change is hard, and most of us don’t want to gamble on every shiny new tool, or simply do not have the time. We do all want to innovate though, be the best, stay one step ahead.

So we made that part of our mission: helping you make sense of creativity, tech, and innovation without the hype. Expect interviews with people shaping culture, honest reviews of tools, and a peek at what’s next. If you’re curious, here’s the story behind The Subthread.

On the site today:

• James Kirkham: Why culture is the new R&D lab.
• Charlotte Cripps: The creative technologist who future-proofed our brand.
• Granola: The AI note-taker saving our meetings (and our memory).

Inspiration Hit: Pollution Piano

Doddz is the digital artist redefining what “interactive” really means. He’s the brains behind AR art that jumps off jackets, canvases, and just about anything you can point your phone at. He’s also worked with brands like Dior and Disney. Last week, the founder and creative director of DIME posted something on LinkedIn that caught my eye…

How Pollution Piano uses AI to create music from air quality data | Doddz . posted on the topic | LinkedIn

How can technology deepen emotion, not just deliver utility? For my latest global installation entitled Pollution Piano, the team at DIME built an AI-driven system that transforms live air quality data into original, ever-changing music. Here’s how it works: 🎹 Hold your phone up at select iconic locations, and a pianist appears in AR, performing a piece being generated in real time. 🌍 Each composition is unique, created by AI and shaped by the pollution levels around you. 📍Launched in cities across the world, each piano tells a different story through sound. DIME is now in conversations with brands about how this same system can be used to turn live data into emotionally resonant experiences, blending tech and storytelling to help audiences see, hear, and feel something deeper.

LinkedInAlexandra Zeevalkink

The Week Ahead

Hannah’s in Morocco at Paradigms, chatting with industry leaders and filming BTS (yes, we’re jealous). If you're there say hi and send me a photo.

Meanwhile Rich is tuning in to a Notion event tonight - if he falls asleep, Granola’s got his notes.

And I’m off to shoot a trailer for my new podcast Culture Code, which will spotlight artists and designers pushing the boundaries of creativity with tech. Got guest ideas? Let me know.

We’re also deep into planning for Future Makers Live in October. Sign up now if you want in.

And that’s a wrap for week one.

Stay curious. Stay caffeinated. See you next week.

– Alex (Editor-in-Chief, The Subthread)

P.S. Follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, or reply with your best AI meme – we’ll feature our favorite next issue.