THE CURATED LOG VIII
By MITO Universe - @mitofilms
Welcome back to MITO Universe.
From tensions in tech’s power plays to artists exploring new frontiers with generative tools, we navigate a landscape that’s equal parts innovation and intention.
New work, sharp visions, and fewer petals than usual.
Dig in.
SELECTED CREATORS
Fiona Mompean / @fiomompe
Fiona Mompean moves through the field of AI image-making with the clarity of someone deeply trained in visual communication.
After more than a decade working across global creative industries, her focus shifted toward the potential of generative systems—not as a replacement, but as a space for expansion.
Her work with AI began as a natural extension of her visual practice—structured, instinctive, and grounded in intention.
In her hands, these tools operate less as instruments and more as precise extensions of thought, shaped by form, meaning, and a forward-looking approach.
Fiona’s work explores what comes after tradition. Her images are clean, intentional, and precise—pointing not to what we’re leaving behind, but to what we might still invent.
Bernardo Martins / @figa.link
Brazilian-born and Berlin-based, Bernardo Martins creates images that tap into a darker register of visual storytelling. His work has been featured in @coevalmagazine, @graumagazin, and @magazineantidote, and it expands the emotional and visual terrain of AI image-making. There are no soft petals or pixel-perfect freckles.
Originally trained as a photographer, he turned to AI after finding traditional workflows limiting—both technically and creatively. AI became a tool of autonomy and excess.
His visuals, ranging from visceral portraiture to editorial compositions, carry a distinct aura: unsettling yet precise, tender yet violent. They resist the sanitized norms often associated with generative art.
His work shows that real value lies in how it expands the spectrum of what beauty can look like when seen through a haunted, obsessive, and deeply personal lens.
WHAT’S NEW
Meta Declines EU’s AI Code of Practice.
Meta has announced it will not sign the European Union’s voluntary Code of Practice for general-purpose AI models, citing legal uncertainties and overreach beyond the upcoming AI Act. The Code, developed by independent experts, sets expectations for transparency, copyright compliance, and ethical development. In contrast, Microsoft has expressed openness to signing. The Code has already been endorsed by companies including OpenAI and Mistral, while enforcement for systemic-risk AI providers is set to begin by August 2027.
Sora 2 Nears Launch Amid Rising Competition.
Evidence from OpenAI’s servers suggests that Sora 2, an updated version of the company’s video generation model, is nearing release. The new version is expected to address a major limitation of its predecessor—silent videos—by incorporating audio features such as speech, ambient sound, and synchronized effects. This move would position it as a direct competitor to Google’s Veo 3, which already offers integrated audio and short, realistic video clips.
Google Adds AI Video Features to Google Photos.
Google has begun rolling out new generative AI tools in the U.S. for Google Photos and YouTube Shorts. These include a photo-to-video feature powered by the Veo 2 model, which creates six-second clips using preset prompts, and Remix, a tool that converts images into stylized versions like anime, comics, or 3D animations. Both features will be housed in a new Create tab within the Photos app. All generated content includes SynthID watermarks—both visible and invisible—for identification and transparency.
KEY VISUAL
Philippe Matta, a French-Lebanese Creative Director based in Paris, invites us to come and get splashed.
An AI-crafted fictional invitation for a Jacquemus show: unmistakably high-end, minimal, precise, and effortlessly cool.
That’s all for now — we’ll be back in your inbox next Monday.