[This article is part of a series where I invited media industry leaders to share their thoughts on 2025 and what it means for the future. Jeff Greenberg is a Consultant / Author / Editor / Colorist / Advisor) in post. He’s the guy who helps groups see their blind spots and work smarter. An early adopter, he sent his first email in the 80s. He chairs conferences and is a Master Trainer (teaches the “Train the trainer” classes for the major NLEs.) Most of all, he’s a Dad and Filmgeek. And hates being defined by fifty words. Just like you. Website: JGreenbergConsulting.com.] (This has been lightly edited for clarity. LJ)
2025: The Year AI Got Real (And Really Annoying)
Are you tired of hearing about AI yet?
I am. I’ve been consulting around ML for a decade and AI for six years. I’m exhausted. You’re either digging into the cool parts, genuinely amazed, or going, “Crap, more AI slop?”
Too many vibe-coded cash grabs. Too many hallucinating tools. Too many executives drinking Kool-Aid.
Yes, it’s a disruptor. There are tools I can’t live without. I also can’t leave the house without my phone. Since 2007.
AI Fatigue Is Real
Assisted coding and vibe coding? Great concepts.
I see too many groups either trying to bolt on AI to their post production tool… or teams chasing VC money by creating Ai tools that are meant to be acquired. Low. Hanging. Fruit. Stop pitching animated captions, transcripts, or review tools. These are solved.
Why are we drowning in this?
Chat. Chat makes these tools feel like your friend. Ever play Eliza? The original chatbot, 1967. Try it. It took a minute to realize it was more or less a parrot.
Chat fools are brains. Because LLMs are chat, they feel like talking to a human. One who knows everything (doesn’t), is honest (isn’t), and isn’t hallucinating (is).
This creates a Dunning-Kruger epidemic. It’s worst with Producers/Clients/C-suite execs convinced AI is the answer. They’re drinking Kool-Aid and don’t know they have diabetes.
But I Can’t Go Back
That said, I can’t go back. Not ever.
I live in Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini. I fed NotebookLLM the entire Resolve manual (and training books.) It’s my first reference stop now.
Tools I use daily:
I’m sure I’m forgetting a ton.
Reddit: a microcosm of the Industry.
Let’s talk about people instead of tools. I moderate five subreddits (communiteis). Reddit is my secret weapon for seeing trends early. r/editors alone is 150,000+ post pros/aspiring pros. And there’s fear.
Three observations this year:
Gen Video looks good for one shot…but can’t be shaped. Hours of iteration, real money, and you might end up with nothing.
Networking Matters More
Speaking of which, thank you, Larry, for reaching out. That’s the point. A relationship led to this.
Don’t neglect yours. Yes, WFH [“Work From Home“] won. But we lost connection. It’s easy to disappear and only live virtually on Zoom and Slack.
Your network is your safety net, job pipeline, and sanity check. Talk to people. Weekly minimum. Stay visible. Stay human.
Tools change. Relationships last.
Looking Ahead to 2026
My biggest concern: the gap between what AI can do and what people believe it can do.
You’ll sit in meetings where someone is certain AI solves their problem. They saw a demo.
Your weapon: “Show me the output.”
Not the demo reel. The output from your footage, your timeline, your deadline.
Some tools deliver. Most don’t. Your job is knowing the difference.
Closing
The tools I can’t live without came from experimenting, failing, and talking to other people in post.
Not demos. The network itself.
Build yours. You know where to find me.
