I’ve seen two of my companies get acquired. I’ve written checks to over 200 startups, including some of the biggest names in AI like Anthropic and OpenAI. So when I tell you a new technology is going to change the game, I’m not just saying it. I’m betting on it.
Right now, everyone is talking about Midjourney and Stable Diffusion for image generation. But there’s another tool that I’ve been tracking closely, one that I believe is going to be even more significant for marketers and creators: RunwayML. And nobody is talking about it. At least, not in the right way.
The Stock Photo Is Dead
For years, marketers have been stuck in a rut. We need visuals for our ads, our social media, our websites. So we go to the same old stock photo websites and scroll through pages of generic, soulless images. You know the ones I’m talking about. The smiling woman in a business suit, the perfectly diverse group of people in a meeting, the abstract blue and green swooshes.
These images are not just boring; they’re also expensive. A single stock video can cost hundreds of dollars. And for what? To look just like everyone else.
I remember when I was building RemoteTeam, we were spending thousands of dollars a month on stock photos and videos. It was a huge line item in our marketing budget. And for what? Our ads looked just like every other B2B SaaS company out there.
RunwayML: Your In-House Production Studio
This is where RunwayML comes in. It’s not just another AI image generator. It’s a full-fledged video and content creation suite powered by AI. Think of it as having an entire production studio at your fingertips, for a fraction of the cost.
With RunwayML, you can generate high-quality, original video footage from a simple text prompt. You can edit existing videos with a few clicks, removing objects, changing styles, and even creating slow-motion effects. You can train your own custom AI models to generate content in your brand’s unique style.
I’ve used it to create ad campaigns for my startups that would have cost tens of thousands of dollars to produce with a traditional agency. We’re talking about cinematic-quality videos with custom branding, all created in a matter of hours.
For example, for one of my portfolio companies in the e-commerce space, we used RunwayML to generate a series of short, punchy product videos for their social media channels. The videos were a huge hit, driving a 30% increase in engagement and a 15% increase in conversions. The total cost? Less than a hundred dollars.
More Than Just a Toy
I know what you’re thinking. “Another AI toy. Fun to play with, but not a serious tool for marketers.” And you’re right, to an extent. A lot of the AI tools out there are just that: toys. They’re fun for generating a few funny images, but they’re not built for the rigors of a real marketing campaign.
But RunwayML is different. It’s built by a team of researchers and engineers who are at the forefront of AI research. They’re not just chasing the latest hype cycle; they’re building a platform that is going to fundamentally change how we create and consume content.
I’ve had the chance to speak with the founders of RunwayML, and I can tell you that their vision is much bigger than just creating a fun little app. They’re building the future of storytelling.
The Future is Generative
We are on the cusp of a new era in content creation. An era where anyone can create high-quality, original content with the power of AI. An era where the only limit is your imagination.
And RunwayML is at the forefront of this revolution. It’s not just a tool for marketers. It’s a tool for anyone who has a story to tell.
So, if you’re a marketer, a creator, an entrepreneur, I urge you to start paying attention to RunwayML. It’s not just another AI tool. It’s the future of your industry.
And if you’re not on board, you’re going to be left behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What experience informs this perspective?
This perspective comes from over a decade of building companies in Silicon Valley, two successful exits (RemoteTeam to Gusto, MovieLaLa to Gfycat), and investing in 200+ startups including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Scale AI. I write about what I've lived.
How has this view evolved over time?
My thinking on most topics has changed significantly over the years. Early in my career, I held many conventional views that experience proved wrong. I try to update my beliefs when the evidence changes.
What's the most common pushback you get on this?
People often push back by citing exceptions or edge cases. And they're usually right that exceptions exist. But building a strategy around exceptions rather than patterns is a losing game for most founders.