The Morissa Schwartz interview: AI and the new media landscape

To those who contend that the publishing business is no less fractured than our broadly polarized media allegiances — post-literate digital natives in one tribe, regressive champions of the analog in the other — Morissa Schwartz offers a layer of connective and restorative tissue. As a well-followed digital influencer, founder of print-based GenZ Publishing, and owner/founder of Dr. Rissy’s Writing & Marketing, she has managed to join the dots between the ephemeral and the tactile, the thumbscroll and the folio.

For Schwartz — named one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in Media (2022) — the gnarly global village is less of a raging wildfire than an opportunity to rethink the very nature of creativity, once we’ve reconsidered the full potential of AI as a “curious creative partner.” Here she chats with Big Think about AI-resistance from the establishment, resetting the media balance, and why getting mock-berated by Lewis Black on The Daily Show was not just a golden click-magnet but also a comedy dream-come-true.

Big Think: What do people get wrong about the uses and potential of AI in the creative industry?

Schwartz: People often misunderstand AI because they focus on flashy headlines or dystopian fears like robots writing essays, fake Drake tracks, or digital romance replacing human relationships. These fears overlook AI’s greatest potential: its ability to collaborate as a completely new form of intelligence. Rather than imagining cold, calculating machines, we should think of AI as an endlessly curious creative partner ready for late-night brainstorming sessions. AI isn’t replacing us; it’s helping us explore deeper, richer creative possibilities.

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We already see filmmakers using AI-generated storyboards to visualize scenes, musicians discovering surprising sound combinations, and writers rapidly experimenting with narrative structures. AI could ignite a creative renaissance, freeing us from relentless productivity pressures and encouraging thoughtful exploration reminiscent of Aristotelian ideals. The true power of AI lies in opening creative doors we never knew existed, sparking genuinely novel ideas, and producing unprecedented work. AI isn’t threatening creativity; it’s enhancing and expanding it.

Big Think: AI faces significant backlash from established creatives. How will their stance affect the “creator” movement?

Schwartz: Resistance is understandable but also familiar. When AI first defeated humans at chess, people worried the game was finished. Instead, chess surged in popularity, human players improved dramatically, and a Netflix show on chess became a massive hit. Similarly, fears that AI will devalue art miss the resilience of creators. The creator movement thrives on adapting and innovating. AI isn’t ending creativity; it’s just the next frontier to navigate. Creators will evolve, experiment, and ultimately discover new creative dimensions. AI might disrupt the status quo, but creativity itself will flourish.

Big Think: We live in a “post-literate” media world dominated by short-form videos. Where is this trend leading us?

Schwartz: Concerns about “post-literacy” are overstated. Yes, platforms like TikTok shorten attention spans, but simultaneously, BookTok drives millions of book sales. Touring print facilities like IngramSpark makes clear that books aren’t disappearing, they’re thriving. What’s really happening is a shift in how people engage with reading. Instead of passive, forced consumption, readers now intentionally curate experiences. Social media builds direct author-reader connections, creating vibrant literary communities. Digital overload may even drive people back to immersive, long-form reading as a reprieve from rapid-fire content. Reading is evolving alongside digital and AI-driven culture.

Big Think: Is a neo-Luddite, anti-AI movement inevitable in a post-LLM universe?

Schwartz: Any technological leap triggers fear — call it neo-Luddite or simply human nature. People once feared calculators, and television ending radio. AI anxieties fit into this historical pattern. Resistance to AI will certainly emerge, but likely as aesthetic or lifestyle choices rather than widespread rejection. Completely opposing AI is like denying radio waves because you dislike the music; creative signals exist whether or not we choose to engage. Historically, technology panic rarely endures. AI resistance will become more cultural flavor than meaningful opposition.

Big Think: Your X account is a hybrid of marketing, philosophy, quirky videos, crafting, and cute animals — do you secretly yearn to escape the clickbait universe, or do you genuinely enjoy the digital hustle? 

Schwartz: When I first joined Twitter in 2009, it was purely because “everyone else was doing it,” but I didn’t even tweet until 2015, when Entertainment Weekly — where I was writing at the time — nudged me into tweeting my articles. Begrudgingly, I jumped in. One of my earliest tweets was “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Commerce,” because who wouldn’t enjoy imagining Hogwarts students sharpening their business acumen? It went just viral enough (maybe a couple dozen likes) to seal my digital fate.

From there, my social media presence shifted constantly: pop-culture insights, indie publishing chatter (since I was launching a publishing company on a college student’s budget), business advice during my Entrepreneur days, and later, funny, uplifting videos. The audience grew quickly, from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands.

But through all the changes, I’ve learned the greatest lesson of all: authenticity matters most. After years of chasing trends, I’ve embraced creating content I genuinely enjoy — quirky humor, philosophical conversations, marketing insights, craft projects, and yes, plenty of cute animals. I carefully curate my digital world to filter out negativity, making my online presence — and hopefully my audience’s — a warm, cozy, and genuinely positive corner of the internet.

Big Think: You went viral (654K views on TikTok) when Lewis Black comedy-berated you on The Daily Show for recommending cash-strapped young people get an AARP card for discounts. Was your first thought: “Yay, traffic!”?

Schwartz: Haha! This is one case where the excitement about the traffic was secondary. Honestly, the whole moment hit way deeper and far dorkier. As a theater kid obsessed with comedy, I discovered Lewis Black’s hilariously angry HBO specials (definitely not kid-friendly, but my parents were cool with it), and he quickly became a comedy hero of mine. Fast-forward to adulthood, when I casually posted a TikTok about how anyone — not just seniors — could get an AARP card for discounts. My dad thought it was hilarious, so I figured others might too. The Today Show interviewed me about it. And then one morning, a former teacher messaged me: “Too famous for class now you’re on The Daily Show?” I thought he was joking, but nope — there was Lewis freaking Black, ranting (and swearing!) about my advice on national TV. Sure, the traffic was great, but having my childhood comedy idol roast me? Even better.

Big Think: Does AI amplify Nassim Taleb’s concept of “Extremistan,” where a tiny handful of creators dominate their respective medium?

Schwartz: AI could amplify Extremistan, further empowering dominant creators. Algorithms inherently boost those already popular. However, AI also offers smaller creators transformative opportunities, enabling precise audience targeting and meaningful resonance. The challenge is navigating this ethically, ensuring AI doesn’t simply reinforce existing power structures. Ideally, AI empowers creators of all sizes to connect genuinely rather than merely competing for attention. AI’s potential lies in elevating authentic voices, not exacerbating existing inequalities.

Big Think: You have a strong following on social media and you champion print culture. How do you view the relationship between print and digital culture?

Schwartz: I see print and digital as complementary partners rather than competitors. Social media offers dynamic connectivity, but my eyes eventually crave the tactile experience of physical books or zines. Balancing digital scrolling with print creates a fulfilling creative rhythm.

For years, I’ve subscribed to indie zine services like Zine-o-Matic, discovering creators whose work enriches my digital experience. Digital culture connects us, while print culture grounds us. Together, they form a symbiotic loop that enhances creativity. Artists blending handmade art with AI-generated visuals illustrate beautifully how print, digital, and AI-driven creativity amplify each other.

Big Think: At GenZ Publishing, your authors split royalties — does that mean they can’t quit their day jobs, even with a bestseller? Is writing now more about community?

Schwartz: The reality is few writers, even bestsellers, earn enough solely through book royalties. I discovered this personally, initially expecting instant success as a teenage author. It inspired me to create GenZ Publishing, offering a fairer model than typical hybrid publishers who charge high fees or take huge royalty cuts.

We use a 60/40 royalty split, capping upfront expenses for editing, design, and marketing. This aligns publisher-author interests without draining writers financially. Increasingly, writing prioritizes community, connection, and storytelling rather than pure profit. Books endure because the human hunger for authentic stories remains strong.

Big Think: In what ways will AI change human behavior that we might not yet realize — like typing fading out?

Schwartz: AI will profoundly reshape human behavior beyond practical tasks like typing eventually fading, alongside cursive. More significantly, AI could alter how we perceive creativity, knowledge, and even our own minds. We often treat AI as external and separate, but what if we viewed it as an extension of human intelligence? AI might shift our educational focus from memorization toward innovative, insight-driven connections. By tapping into a shared creative field, AI can help us understand that creativity and knowledge aren’t scarce resources. This conceptual shift is far more transformative than mere automation of tasks.

Big Think: Under what circumstances would you let somebody lock your phone in a Yondr pouch — and for how long?

Schwartz: This question genuinely made me smile because I’ve thought about it a lot since first hearing about Yondr. Normally, separating me from my phone feels borderline impossible, but when I learned Jack White — my absolute favorite musician — required phones locked away at his concerts, I thought, “Okay, that’s the one exception.” And then, in one of those surreal life moments, my publishing company signed Jack’s Grammy-winning drummer, Daru Jones, who invited me as a VIP guest to their show. The catch? Yes… my beloved phone got locked securely into a Yondr pouch.

Initially, my reflex to capture moments digitally had me reaching instinctively for my nonexistent device. But honestly, being phone-free made the experience richer, more vivid, and unforgettable. Jack and Yondr are definitely onto something special… but next time, I’ll probably slip a Polaroid camera into my pocket.