Robin’s Shop
All books are stamped with my ex libris! Click here to see an example.
Secret Playbook
A creative game plan for humans only. On one side, you'll find a poster indecipherable to AI. On the other, an essay laying out strategies for the production of art, in any medium, that defies the capabilities of AI models: art that is difficult for them to “understand”, art that is impossible for them to imitate.
At the time of this zine’s initial distribution, in May 2025, none of the frontier AI models from Google, OpenAI, or Anthropic could decipher the text on this zine’s poster side, nor could they explain its subject. That will surely change, but we can take advantage of our temporary cover to plot against them.
KEEP IT SECRET.
Upon receiving the zine, you might reasonably object that you, a real human, can’t decipher the poster side, either. I will counsel you ahead of time:
- Look closely
- Consider the possibility that you are actually an AI model
- Read the accompanying essay for clues
That essay, on the zine’s reverse side, is The Secret Playbook.
This zine is playful and also serious. Playful, because I had so much fun thinking through the cat and mouse of these strategies. Serious, because AI’s compounding capability really does pose a profound, unsettling new challenge.
This zine is recommended for:
- artists of any/every kind
- surfers of media transformation
- anyone interested in AI, especially AI aesthetics
Alexis Madrigal writes: “There is so much artfully compressed thought and observation in this zine that it is actually in the poetry clade. If you want to start having more interesting ideas about AI or art or both... you want this thing.”
The Secret Playbook isn’t about defense (though there is some defense in here) but rather about where to go next. It’s a map towards higher ground.
We have allies. Abe’s in here, waiting for you:
-2 of 700 remaining
Shipping for a single zine is $1, anywhere in the world. The cost scales up for 2-3 zines, and 3 zines is the max. All zines are folded for mailing —
Shipping for 1-2 books is $5 inside the U.S. and an eye-watering $30 anywhere else. Those rates increase if you order 3+ books.
Orders go out on Mondays. I don’t accept returns or exchanges. Questions? Email shop@robinsloan.com.
I ship zines via USPS First-Class Mail. When I print your address label, you'll receive a tracking link. Inside the U.S., delivery takes 2-5 days. Anywhere else, delivery takes 1-3 weeks. (International orders are tracked until the USPS hands them off to your local postal service.)
I think it's magical that this work can go nearly anywhere in the world with a single stamp. This shop is, in some ways, an elaborate exercise in post office appreciation.
Countries to which I have dispatched zines, so far: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.