Honoring the Bestof the Internet
Webby Special Achievement in Creative AI
Five Word Speech
"expression: It's All We Got."
- James Gerde
Share Speech
About Webby Special Achievement in Creative AI
In a unique partnership with Adobe, The Webby Awards is proud to present a Special Achievement award for the innovative use of creative AI technology to expand the possibilities of artistic expression. The award honors an individual who has made a singular contribution to creativity by demonstrating how AI can inspire, elevate, and enable new forms of human imagination and storytelling.
James Gerde is a filmmaker-turned AI-native creator redefining visual storytelling through generative AI. Working across tools, including Adobe Firefly, he uses AI as a true creative partner, transforming everyday footage into intricately stylized, imaginative worlds designed for short-form, social-first storytelling. His videos reimagine familiar scenes through striking material transformations and highly-detailed visual experimentation, resulting in a signature style that is immediately recognizable and rooted in authorship.
Over the past year, Gerde's work has evolved rapidly in both technical sophistication and cultural reach, demonstrating how generative tools can accelerate creative growth and expand what a single creator can produce and scale. Through his studio, Gerde Got It, he is building a creator-led model for AI-driven storytelling, showing how accessible tools can enable high-impact work that resonates widely across digital audiences.
Central to his process is a commitment to transparency and creative integrity, embracing AI as a tool that amplifies human expression rather than replacing it. For his original voice, his innovative use of generative technology, and his emergence as part of a new generation of AI-native creators, it is our great privilege to honor James Gerde with the 2026 Webby Special Achievement in Creative AI Award.
