Long day, long week, short email.

I've been up against it between work projects, volunteer stuff, and keeping the newsletter on track so I'm giving you guys a short one today.

To compensate, I tackle the Action Figure trend, showing you how to do it without paying for a specialty app using good ol' ChatGPT.

We also have the Canva Create Keynote, which you should definitely set aside an hour of your time to watch.

Have a great weekend, and I'll see you all next Tuesday!

APRIL 11, 2025

• Steal This Prompt: 🧸Make Your Own Action Figure with ChatGPT
• THE HEADLINES
• TOOL OF THE DAY: ​Canva's New AI Tools Go Full STEM​

🧸STP: Make Your Own Action Figure with ChatGPT

Over the last week or so, you may have noticed an influx of retro-looking action figure packages featuring some of your Facebook friends.

I knew AI was the culprit and figured it was some type of specialized mobile phone app. Sure enough, a search of “AI action figure” returned several results.

I downloaded one, uploaded a photo, and told it what accessories to give my figure. Before I could see anything, however, it wanted me to pay.

Nope.

I knew they were probably using the upgraded 4o image-generation capabilities inside ChatGPT to pull it off.

Since I already have an account, I decided to do it myself using some good old-fashioned prompt engineering. Here’s what I plugged in to get the action figure you see above. First, a picture of me; then…

​STEAL THE PROMPT HERE​

THE HEADLINES

• ​AI on the Ballot: How Artificial Intelligence Is Already Changing Politics​
• ​Google and Range Media Partners Launch ‘AI on Screen,’ a New Program Commissioning Short Films About Artificial Intelligence​​
• ​PJM, Google partner to speed grid interconnection using AI​​
• ​Adobe Acrobat AI Assistant wins gold at Edison Awards​​
• ​Generative AI Market Size Expected to Surpass $1 Trillion by 2034​
• ​Andreessen Horowitz Targets $20B AI Mega Fund to Meet Global Demand​
• ​HubSpot Brings AI Agents to SMBs​
• ​A surprisingly useful tool for this year’s tax season​​
• ​AI-Powered Chilli Spray Could Deter Bears Without Injuring Them​
• ​YouTube Rolls Out Free AI Music-Making Tool for Creators​
• ​Power-Hungry AI Data Centers Driving Demand for Fossil Fuels​
• ​Your Data’s Probably Not Ready for AI—Here’s How to Make It Trustworthy​

TOOL SPOTLIGHT: ​Canva's New AI Tools Go Full STEM​

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Canva, known for its easy-to-use design tools, is now taking a big step into the world of STEM. The Australian-based company, which boasts over 230 million monthly active creators, is introducing a new AI chatbot, Canva AI, to help users with design advice and creating projects. The tool also allows users to generate AI images using Canva’s Dream Lab and Magic Studio.

But Canva isn’t stopping there. The company is also launching Canva Sheets, a new tool that allows users to manage and visualize spreadsheet data. Canva Sheets comes with AI-powered insights, letting users ask questions about their data and even write formulas, making it easier for those who aren’t Excel experts.

Additionally, Canva is now embracing coding. The platform’s new AI tools allow users to write code, expanding Canva’s capabilities beyond just design. Robert Kawalsky, Canva’s head of product, explained that this move is about making advanced tools accessible to everyone, just like its design tools.

Despite these new features, Canva assures users that there are no changes to pricing with these AI updates. Look for them to start rolling out immediately. Check out the full one-hour keynote above.

​Read All mAIn Street Back Issues Here​

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