3 things Will Douglas Heaven is into right now

2026-01-02 · Source: MIT Technology Review · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Emerging Technologies & Innovation · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, quick

Summary

Will Douglas Heaven, MIT Technology Review's senior editor for AI, shares three current interests as of January 2, 2026. He highlights Spanish drummer Jorge Garrido, known as El Estepario Siberiano, for his extraordinary speed and technique in covering popular tracks, particularly electronic music where he outperforms drum machines. Heaven also reflects on the uncanny valley, drawing parallels between recent generative AI videos (like Sora's Michael Jackson or Sam Altman clips) and the unsettling hyper-detailed CGI animations of British artist Ed Atkins, whose work deliberately blurs the line between human and avatar. Finally, he discusses Laura Jean McKay's novel "The Animals in That Country," which explores a pandemic-induced ability to understand animal speech, revealing the often nonsensical and harsh realities of nonhuman minds.

Key takeaway

For creative professionals and AI developers exploring human-computer interaction, consider the profound impact of dedicated human skill and the deliberate artistic manipulation of the uncanny valley. Your work can either celebrate human mastery, as seen in Garrido's drumming, or critically examine the boundaries of digital representation, as Atkins does. This perspective can help you design more engaging and thought-provoking experiences that acknowledge both human and artificial capabilities.

Key insights

Human effort and artistic exploration offer profound counterpoints to advanced generative AI capabilities.

Principles

• Mastery requires immense, dedicated human effort.
• The uncanny valley is a fertile ground for artistic exploration.

In practice

• Explore El Estepario Siberiano's YouTube channel.
• Investigate Ed Atkins's CGI art for uncanny valley insights.
• Read Laura Jean McKay's "The Animals in That Country".

Topics

• Generative AI
• Uncanny Valley
• Digital Art
• Human-AI Interaction

Best for: Tech Journalist, AI Ethicist, General Interest

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by MIT Technology Review.