Record Label Pays $3M for an Artist That Isn't Real


Hey Reader,

Welcome back!

This week, we saw a record label pay top dollar to sign rising artist Xania Monet, which came as a surprise to many, as Xania isn't technically real, but rather an AI persona created by a poet to increase her reach.

We'll break down everything you need to know about this major milestone for AI in News That Matters, plus we'll share with you a new tool from Google that lets you utilize the full power of Gemini Image Editing (Nano Banana).

All that and more below! Let's get right into it...


​

πŸͺ„ App of the Week: Mixboard by Google Labs

Use Case: Explore, Expand, and Refine Ideas Using Nano Banana

Link: Mixboard by Google Labs (Free, Not Sponsored!)​

Why you should care:
​
Google Labs just released Mixboard, an experimental platform that helps you explore, expand, and refine ideas visually using the power of Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, a.k.a. Nano Banana.

Mixboard gives you a concepting board, lets you upload your own assets, and then you can freely mix and match what you upload using Nano Banana's impressive image editing capabilities.

And it's completely free to use!

Here's how to get started:

  1. Go to Mixboard using the link above.
  2. Log in with a Google account.
  3. Select "Get Started" to go to the main dashboard.
  4. Choose "New Project".
  5. Upload an image to add an asset to the concepting board.
  6. Select the "Add Text" button in the left sidebar if you'd like to add text to the board.
  7. Use the "Select Blocks" tool in the left sidebar to select which elements you'd like to work with at a time.
  8. Type and send a text prompt into the chat box at the bottom of the screen to have Google's AI edit the elements you've selected.

From here, you have all the tools you need to create using Mixboard!

If you're feeling overwhelmed, try exploring the examples Google provided! When you start any new project, you're presented with a few options with the text "Pick an example to see what Mixboard can do." This is a great way to get some inspiration before you jump in!


πŸ“° News That Matters: Record Label Pays $3M for an Artist That Isn't Real

Link: AI Artist Xania Monet Climbs the Charts And Signs a Multimillion-Dollar Record Deal | Billboard​

Why it matters:
​
This week, rising musical artist Xania Monet secured a $3 million deal with Hallwood Media after fielding bids from multiple other labels.

Technically speaking, Xania didn't "sign" anything, as Xania doesn't exist in the traditional sense.

Xania is an AI persona created and operated by Mississippi poet Talisha Jones. Talisha writes the lyrics, but she uses the AI music generator Suno to bring the songs to life.

This is a fascinating use case for Suno and a great example of how AI can enable people to achieve things they never could have before.

Talisha is a poet. Her strength is in understanding human emotion and experience and capturing that in the form of written language.

She is not a singer, and so for years, her role has been as a poet.

Now, with the advent of AI tools like Suno, she can expand her reach by putting her words to music. (Be honest, when's the last time you read a poem? And when's the last time you listened to a song?)

And with expanded reach comes increased earnings. Poets don't often sign $3 million deals.

Suno enabled Talisha to create Xania, and in turn, Xania helped Talisha secure life-changing money that wouldn't have been in the cards a few years ago.

Use this story as inspiration! Things are possible now that simply weren't possible before the advent of modern AI.

Get out there and take advantage of the opportunities while they're still fresh.

​


πŸ“ Prompt of the Week: Universal Photo Enhancement with Nano Banana

Prompt Formula:
​
I need you to create an image. I need you to generate an infographic for an article's content. You will extract key information from the article. You will keep the content in the image concise. You will add cute cartoon characters and elements to the image. Here is the article: [INSERT ARTICLE]

Quick Description:
​
Part of what makes Gemini Image Editing with Nano Banana so impressive is that Gemini isn't just ingesting your prompt and spitting out an image. It's taking an additional step in the background to think and plan before it begins using the image editing tool.

This prompt takes advantage of that capability and showcases its power! Use it to quickly get the gist of any article visually.

How to Use:

  1. Go to Gemini's web interface or Google AI Studio to access Nano Banana image editing.
  2. Copy the above prompt.
  3. Paste the prompt in the text prompt box.
  4. Copy the article you wish to create an infographic about.
  5. Paste that article in the [INSERT ARTICLE] variable, replacing everything including the brackets.
  6. Send the prompt!

Within seconds, Gemini will output an infographic based on the article you provided.


πŸ“½οΈ Video of the Week: Will AI Replace Designers?

video preview​

AI tools have become incredibly helpful for design, making it easier than ever to create beautiful visuals for websites, social media, physical materials, and just about anything else.

But as these AI tools continue to improve and begin to operate more autonomously, will they continue to present more opportunities for designers? Or are we entering the era where AI begins to become a threat?

That's exactly what Tom and Ronny discuss in this fantastic video that breaks down the present and future of AI for design.

They have decades of experience in design between them, and they've both been actively exploring how AI can enhance their processes for the past couple of years. This gives them a wealth of experience to speak on the topic!

Whether you're a designer yourself or work with a designer in some capacity, this is a great listen.


πŸ“’ Community Highlight: Be Ready For ANY Negotiation With This Cerberus Prompt

This week in The AI Advantage Community, we published a brand new guide that turns negotiation from a guessing game into a repeatable system.

The Cerberus Prompt is a two-phase workflow you can use with any LLM chat tool (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) to build your strategy and stress-test it before you ever step into the room.

In the guide, you get:

  • A copy-paste prompt + walkthrough - A structured script that first builds your plan with 14 β€œBlueprint” questions (ideal/acceptable outcomes, BATNA, stakeholder map, timelines, and more).
  • Realistic simulation - Flip to β€œCerberus mode” and face three personas at once to pressure-test your answers.
  • Objective scoring - After each round, you’re rated 1–5 on Composure, Clarity, Substance, Strategic Alignment, and Reframing so you know exactly what to improve.
  • Concrete examples - See how a candidate could prep for a Senior Product Marketing Manager offer with numbers, tradeoffs, and counter-moves included.

Perfect for:

  • Salary and offer negotiations
  • Client/vendor contracts and renewals
  • Disputes, high-stakes meetings, and delicate internal conversations

Want the full guide plus courses, workflows, events, and hands-on feedback?

​Click here to learn about The AI Advantage community, and join to get instant access to this guide.​

Can’t wait to see what deals you close with this in your toolkit.


That's all for this week!

See you next Thursday.

Much Love,
Igor & The AI Advantage Team

​

Was this email forwarded to you?

Sign up for the weekly AI Advantage newsletter to stay up to date on AI tools and prompts that actually matter.

​

The AI Advantage Community

Learn how to use AI to get ahead through a learning centre that gets updated every week and get personalized support from a supportive community of AI-enthusiasts just like you.

Advanced Voice Library

Unlock the power of voice AI with an expansive collection of 33,000 optimized voice prompts covering 1,600+ professions.

​

Follow The AI Advantage:

Written By:​
​
Igor Pogany - igor@myaiadvantage.com​
​
Daniel Pierce - danielpierce305@gmail.com​
​© 2024 All Rights Reserved.

Hi! I'm Igor with The AI Advantage.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get weekly updates on the most essential apps and prompts in the generative AI space! πŸ‘‡

Read more from Hi! I'm Igor with The AI Advantage.

Hey Reader, Welcome back! This was a huge week in AI, with OpenAI surprising everyone with the release of Sora 2, their next-generation video AI. We'll tell you everything you need to know about Sora 2, plus we'll explain the controversy brewing in Hollywood surrounding a rising AI actress, share with you a handy image editing prompt, and more. All that awaits below! Let's get right into it... πŸͺ„ App of the Week: Sora 2 Use Case: Create and Share Custom Videos Link: Sora 2 (Waitlist Only, Not...

Hey Reader, Welcome back! This week, OpenAI and Anthropic both released fascinating reports detailing how people are actually using AI in 2025. We'll break down the most interesting insights from those reports in News That Matters, share an AI tool with you that may make you drop PowerPoint forever, teach you how to do insane AI VFX transitions, and more. All that and more below! Let's get right into it... πŸͺ„ App of the Week: Gamma 3.0 Use Case: Quickly Create Amazing Presentations Link: Gamma...

Hey Reader, Welcome back! This week, OpenAI published a paper that may solve one of AI's biggest limitations: hallucinations. We'll explain everything you need to know about that breakthrough, show you how to use the impressive new updates to Claude, share a prompt you can use to optimize your AI image editing, and more. Let's get right into it... πŸͺ„ App of the Week: Claude Use Case: Create and Edit Files in a Conversation, New Mobile Integrations Link: Claude (Integrations are Free, Create &...