Jerrod Lew: We Are All Learning Together

Jerrod Lew’s journey started with simple curiosity. He taught himself music, figured out recording and editing, not because he had to, but because he wanted to see what was possible. That same drive to explore eventually brought him to artificial intelligence, which he now views as a powerful tool that breaks down barriers and lets anyone create and learn in ways that work best for them.

If you follow him on social media, you know he shares engaging and useful content almost daily about using AI tools for multimedia projects. He brings the same approach to his workshops and training sessions, which aren’t just about explaining how things work, they’re about getting people to experiment and find their own approach.

Through partnerships with industry leaders like Google and Adobe, plus his connection with thousands of followers through social media tutorials, Jerrod has built a reputation as someone who can cut through the complexity of AI transformation and make it accessible.

In this interview, he opens up about how this journey began, shares the tools and techniques he relies on, and offers practical advice for anyone just getting started with AI, always emphasizing that staying authentic is what truly matters in the end.

Q. Jerrod, behind you stands a rare blend of creativity, music, digital content, and AI industry consulting. Can you share how it all began? What was the turning point that led you from the world of art and social media into AI innovation and education?

A. Curiosity is the ethos of everything that I do when it comes to content, creativity and art. I’m self-taught in so many skills, from music to public speaking, to filming videos to editing and it’s all because I love to sit down and work on a project, learning everything I need to do along the way.

AI stood out to me because it’s so centered on giving everyone more opportunities to tell stories, to create and to learn in a way that suits them, going around traditional ways of creativity. It breaks down barriers, especially technical ones.

I started exploring art and video tools and decided to share my journey of exploration, with the aim of trying to help as many people understand the potential of this technology.

Q. You often emphasize that AI shouldn’t be mysterious, but accessible to everyone. What’s your first piece of advice for someone just starting their AI journey?

A. My advice is always to dive in and give it a try. The tools are overwhelming, the space is vast and constantly growing, and the best way to start is just by doing a bit everyday.

From asking simple questions to ChatGPT, to analyzing emails and messages, to helping you research a new restaurant, try to involve AI in something every single day even if it’s something small.

You’ll quickly learn what it can help you with, and the limitations it has, but you’ll start to build your curiosity with it which is the most critical.

Q. We are aware that many AI tools can be quite expensive. What would you recommend to someone with a limited budget?

A. Try to find a tool that brings in multiple options at once so you have the freedom to explore under a single cost. Find tools that have multiple image and video models available, tools that allow you to use text and image prompts, reference images etc – as this is how you can discover what works best for you.

AI tools are expensive, and becoming pricier, so finding options that include multiple tools at once is the best place to start.

Q. The AI space is moving so fast with new tools appearing all the time, it’s amazing but can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to decide what to try. Which three video AI tools would you recommend to beginners, and why?

A. This is always hard as things change so quickly! But I recommend going with Google Veo 3 as this will give you a very strong foundation as to the current level and quality. Firefly Video is the most accessible option, available with Adobe and trained on licensed data.

The last one I would recommend is Kling 2.1, it’s one of the strongest video models I have tried that includes the option of a start and end frame. This gives awesome control to the user where you can dictate how a video starts and ends!

Q. What are your favorite AI tools when it comes to creating social media content? Whether for visuals, captions, or fast workflows?

A. The Adobe Suite (Express and Firefly) are my favorite for social media content. It’s fast, with a ton of in-built templates, tools and AI features to quickly create social media content.

One great example of the tools is how you can quickly change the aspect ratio of your work to match the social platform you’re working with.

Adobe Firefly Boards, brings everything together into a canvas so you can ideate, explore and create at all all-in-one canvas.

Q. Which AI tool do you use most often for working with photos and why?

A. I use Freepik the most. The tool combines multiple different image tools together, and you can also upload your own images too. Having the option to modify, alter, animate or reference images with a ton of different models at once is a huge plus for me when working with photos.

Q. AI tools let you change almost everything, but you can easily lose authenticity. How do you keep the final result “yours,” unique, and not just the generic “AI look” we see all over the internet?

A. I take a lot of pride in the content I make because I am always the one behind the steering wheel.

I record, edit, commentate, narrate and post all the content myself. Whether it’s me jumping on camera to speak about it, to the specific workflows I follow and use, I find the human element is very evident in the final results.

There are imperfections in my process, but they show authenticity in how I used the tool practically. I encourage people to show their process more, not just the final result.

Q. Today we’ve received a lot of advice from you, and that’s one of your passions, education and consulting, both for beginners and professionals. What do your courses or consulting sessions look like? Who are they for?

A. My consultations specialize in the art, video and productivity/communications space. They are for people who are interested in AI but are feeling a bit overwhelmed or unsure where to start, but also for hardcore professionals who are completely new.

My aim is to build consultations and sessions that are custom for the user, specifically addressing their needs.

Q. And what are your plans for the near future? Do you have new projects or courses in preparation?

A. My focus right now continues to be on content creation, and creating more impactful + longer content that dives deeper into my workflows and processes around AI tool use. Building a personal brand, collaborating with professionals and consistently speaking to new people in the space will help to build my foundation for future consultancy work or even courses.

Q. Finally, do you have a message for everyone who wants to step into the world of AI or achieve better results?

A. AI is not magic, it’s not a one-click process and it’s meaningless alone. As with all things creative – YOU are the turning point and the decider of what makes something unique.  I encourage everyone to dive in, give it a try and find ways that AI can work for you, even if it’s just 5% of your day.