William Adams, better known as will.i.am, has never been one to stay in a single lane. The Black Eyed Peas frontman has built a career spanning music, technology, and philanthropy. His latest move, the launch of FYI (Focus Your Idea), positions him firmly in the tech world, with a tool he says is built for creatives first.
FYI is a productivity platform that combines messaging, file management, and generative AI into a single workspace. It aims to replace the patchwork of apps—WhatsApp, Dropbox, WeTransfer, email, calendars, and Zoom—that creatives typically juggle. "For FYI you just need one tool," will.i.am told European Pulse in an exclusive interview at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.
The app is designed for what he calls the "hyper-creative"—individuals and small teams who are constantly ideating and collaborating. "With AI, small teams become big teams," he added, underscoring the potential for AI to amplify creative output.
From necessity to innovation
The idea for FYI emerged during the pandemic, when will.i.am faced the limitations of remote collaboration tools. "Products out of necessity are a gift to the world," said Jonathan Mildenhall, former Airbnb CMO and co-founder of TwentyFirstCenturyBrand, who is developing FYI's brand strategy. He draws parallels to Airbnb's origin story, where founders Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia rented out air mattresses to cover their rent—a necessity that sparked a global platform.
FYI's approach is distinct from other AI tools like ChatGPT. "FYI is a messenger first," will.i.am explained. "It's a messenger with your file management and digital asset management storage connected to it." The platform integrates project-based collaboration, ideation, and AI assistance, all within a secure environment featuring end-to-end encryption.
Protecting creative IP
A key feature in development is the ability to generate non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and protect intellectual property directly within the app. This is being built in collaboration with IBM and its WatsonX platform. "If you're a creative with an idea, protecting it before you reach out to others is almost impossible," will.i.am noted, especially for those without access to legal resources. The goal is to democratize IP protection, starting with basic NDAs and expanding from there.
The platform also issues elliptical curve cryptography keys, developed with IBM, to secure data. "The whole premise of the product is to champion the creative, support them, and protect them and their IP," he said.
AI, creativity, and regulation
On the broader debate about AI in music, will.i.am acknowledged that AI can mimic and create. He referenced a viral fake Drake track and a response from Massive Attack questioning why contemporary music is so formulaic that it's easy to copy. "For anything to get good at something, it has to reference and copy something," he said. "AI is already great at mimicking, but it also creates." He shared that he's heard AI-generated music that sounds like his own work, created from scratch, and that it will only improve.
This raises urgent questions about likeness and essence. "Regulations need to be put in place around essence and likeness ASAP," will.i.am urged. "Fighting for people's likeness, people's essence, protecting people and their civil liberties—that is what we should be doing. We're not saying regulations to stop innovation. We're saying regulations for people."
His comments come as European policymakers grapple with AI regulation, including the EU's AI Act, which aims to set global standards. The intersection of AI, creativity, and IP is a growing concern across the continent, from Berlin's tech hubs to Paris's cultural institutions.
FYI is now available for download, and will.i.am invites the creative community to join the journey. "We're starting with basic NDA idea protection, and then we'll grow from there," he said, hinting at future features that could reshape how creatives manage their work and rights.
