MSCHF's "Attention Engineering" Model Redefines Creativity in the Age of AI, Says Greylock Partner

Mike Duboe, a General Partner at venture capital firm Greylock Partners, recently highlighted MSCHF, a Brooklyn-based art collective, as a prime example of scarce creativity and distribution in an era where artificial intelligence makes output increasingly cheap. In a tweet, Duboe stated, "This was a fun one. @Gabriel_Whaley and @mschf built a system to engineer attention and create cultural moments. In a world where AI makes output cheap, MSCHF exemplifies what remains scarce: creativity that spans domains and distribution designed like a product."

MSCHF, co-founded by Gabriel Whaley, operates on an unconventional business model, often described as "structured chaos." The collective is renowned for its provocative, limited-edition drops and artistic interventions that intentionally generate viral attention and cultural discourse. Their projects frequently blur the lines between art, commerce, and social commentary, challenging traditional marketing and consumption norms.

The firm's approach to "attention engineering" involves creating products and experiences designed for virality and public reaction. Past projects include the controversial "Satan Shoes" (a collaboration with Lil Nas X), which led to a lawsuit from Nike, and "Jesus Shoes" containing holy water. Other notable works like "Times Newer Roman," a font designed to make papers longer, and "Big Red Boots," oversized cartoon-like footwear, demonstrate their ability to consistently capture headlines and social media buzz.

MSCHF's strategy focuses on generating emotional responses—whether mischief, outrage, or delight—and designing distribution as an integral part of the product itself. This contrasts sharply with the growing ease of content generation by AI, which can produce vast quantities of text, images, and other media at low cost. By creating unique, often absurd, and highly shareable "momen-ts" rather than mass-produced goods, MSCHF cultivates a dedicated following and maintains cultural relevance.

Duboe's commentary underscores a critical observation in the evolving creative landscape: while AI democratizes content creation, the ability to craft truly novel, culturally resonant experiences that cut through the noise remains a valuable and rare commodity. MSCHF's success suggests that in a world saturated with AI-generated output, originality, strategic provocation, and inherent shareability are becoming the new hallmarks of scarce and impactful creativity.