Crafting Resonance in a Digital Age
Interviewer: Who are you, and how did you get into AI?
Jacob Hägg: I’m a Creative Director and Photographer with 15 years of experience shaping visual stories. My journey began when I co-founded Brashy Studios, a fashion label in LA, where I served as Creative Director for eight years. The brand gained traction with clients like Kylie Jenner and earned mentions in Vogue, The New York Times, and Highsnobiety. After that, I worked in traditional advertising agencies, refining brand narratives. But I felt drawn to something new, so I left to start Intelligence Matters, merging my background with the latest in AI. I spend a lot of time researching and experimenting, exploring AI’s future in fashion and premium brands. Much of this groundwork will lay the foundation for exciting upcoming projects, blending my past with what’s next.
Interviewer: Let’s dive into the creative process. How do you approach it when you’re working with AI? Does it shift how you think about creating?
Jacob Hägg: It does, profoundly. With AI, the process becomes less about starting from nothing and more about navigating a sea of possibilities. It’s like having a partner who can instantly show you a dozen paths forward. At Intelligence Matters, we use AI to help brands tell their stories, and it lets us explore ideas faster and broader than ever. But it’s not about handing over control—it’s about using AI to stretch my own imagination while keeping the reins firmly in hand.
Interviewer: There’s often a moment in creating where you feel a piece is done—like an instinct kicks in. How does that work with AI? Is it still that gut sense, or does something else guide you?
Jacob Hägg: That instinct is still the heartbeat of it. AI can churn out endless variations, but knowing when something’s finished? That’s human territory. When we’re crafting visuals for a brand, I rely on that inner sense of “this is it”—the moment it captures the essence we’re after. AI might nudge me with data—like what’s resonating with an audience—but it’s my gut that says stop. It’s less about perfection and more about when it feels alive.
Interviewer: You’re talking about instinct, which I’m fascinated by. Can AI ever tap into that, or is it always going to be a human thing?
Jacob Hägg: AI can fake it pretty well—it can spot patterns in what humans like and mimic them. But true instinct? That’s born from living, feeling, doubting. AI doesn’t wrestle with those. For us at Intelligence Matters, AI is a tool that sharpens our instincts, not a substitute. It’s like a lens—it can focus your vision, but it can’t see for you. The human spark is what turns raw output into something real.
Interviewer: Your company works with brands, so there’s a commercial side to this. How do you keep the creative fire burning when you’ve got those market pressures?
Jacob Hägg: It’s a dance. Brands need something that sells—something that cuts through the noise—but creativity dies if it’s just a servant to the market. The trick is starting with a vision that’s true to the brand’s soul, then letting AI make it practical without choking it. It’s about serving the client while still making something worth seeing.
Interviewer: Who are you creating for, at the deepest level? The brand? Their audience? Yourself? How does that shape what you do?
Jacob Hägg: Ultimately, it’s for the people the brand wants to reach—the audience. But it’s not just about giving them what they expect; it’s about surprising them with something that sticks. I’m thinking about how a brand’s story lands with someone scrolling their phone or walking past an ad. That’s the commercial reality. Philosophically, though, I’m creating for that flicker of connection—when the work hits someone and they feel it. The brand’s goals steer the ship, but that human moment is what I’m chasing.
Interviewer: I love digging into the philosophy of creating. What’s yours? What drives you when you’re blending AI and human effort like this?
Jacob Hägg: For me, it’s about amplification. Creativity is this messy, human thing—full of flaws and brilliance—and AI is a way to make it bigger, not better or worse. My philosophy is that we’re not here to replace the artist but to give them wings. At Intelligence Matters, we’re building tools that let brands dream louder, but the dream itself? That’s human. I’m driven by the idea that we can use tech to touch something timeless in people.
Interviewer: You’re in this space where efficiency matters—cost, scale, speed. How do you stop that from swallowing the art?
Jacob Hägg: It’s about priorities. Efficiency can’t be the goal—it’s the means. AI lets us strip away the grunt work, like tweaking formats or testing variations, so we’re not bogged down. For a brand, that’s gold—it saves time and money. But we guard the art by keeping it front and center. The vision comes first, and AI bends to fit it, not the other way around. It’s like sharpening a blade—you don’t change the steel, just make it cut cleaner.
Interviewer: Let’s go deeper. What’s the essence of creating something worthwhile, in your view? Especially with AI in the mix?
Jacob Hägg: It’s about resonance. Something worthwhile echoes—it lingers in someone’s mind, shifts how they see the world, even just for a second. AI can help craft that, giving us precision and reach, but the essence comes from intent. For brands, that means nailing their truth in a way that’s bold and clear. With AI, I can test a hundred ways to say it, but the worth comes from picking the one that feels human, not just slick.
Interviewer: The act of creating can be so personal. How do you stay connected to that when you’re working at scale for clients?
Jacob Hägg: It’s personal because it’s problem-solving. Every brand has a puzzle—what they stand for, who they’re talking to—and I get obsessed with cracking it. AI scales the solution, but the connection comes from diving into their world. I’m not just churning out assets; I’m figuring out how to make their story hit home. That keeps it alive for me, even when it’s a big campaign with tight deadlines.