Beep. Boop. Beep!
AI is coming! Actually it’s here. We’re sure you’ve already heard of ChatGPT, Jasper, Midjourney, or Dall-E 2. These are just a few of the popular creative AI tools available today. But we’re not here to talk about them—well at least not directly!
You see, AI is coming for creativity. So, where does that leave us, humans?
Dall-E 2 and Midjourney are just two of the many AI-powered image generators available. You can even find ones on your mobile app stores. These AI tools can create accurate illustrations on almost anything you ask of them.
Then there’s generative AI like Meta’s Make-A-Video and Google’s Imagen Video that can create 3D images. Even Cosmopolitan released their very first AI-generated magazine cover!¹
It really is an impressive and wonderful time to be alive today. But it’s also a terrifying thought because many people in the creative industry rely heavily on generating these things. Think of all the writers, editors, photographers, artists, and many more and how they might feel right now.
Yes—it’s definitely something that can make any of us creative people worry.
Is There an End to AI’s Creativity?
Ever wondered if AIs have a creativity cap? Well, we’ve got some good news to share that’ll put your mind at ease. Drumroll, please…YES! AI does have a limit to what it can do.
Let’s see what the experts have to say.
1. Creativity and art are something human.
You see, being creative is what makes us human. That’s what separates you and I from these powerful tools. Art is not just a process of drawing lines, shapes, and figures and then adding color and shading after. It is the expression of ideas and truth that humans can express and share.²
Luckily, AI is not yet that powerful to handle concepts taken from human experience like thoughts, emotions, experiences, or moments in time. Art is more than just visual and sound.
2. AI can’t grasp relationships in our world—a human world.
Many experts and analysts say that AI imaging tools have very poor understanding of causal relationships in the real world.
For example, if you ask an AI to create a visual rendering of a “man riding a donkey” and a “donkey riding a man”, it will create similar results. So, if you think about it, you’re still smarter than AI tools!
Here’s another, while an AI-generated art won the top prize in a Colorado state fair, many artists quickly pointed out that these events are not prestigious avenues in art competitions.³
As an artist or a creative professional, you have very little reason to be fearful.
3. AI and creativity are different sides of a coin.
It’s either heads or tails. AI or Creativity.
AI and machine learning is like the left side of your brain. It controls accuracy, precision, and predictability. AI is made to be precise and follow orders to get specific results.
On the other hand, creativity is like the right side of our brains that dwells in spontaneity, being out of the box, and looking at things from different angles. It is unique, unexpected, or even deviant at times.
AI doesn’t look at and value different perspectives. That’s why some of the generated content can have dated beliefs of society. It will always use a formula in a predictable manner. That’s why it can only do computational creativity. Both users and developers have to feed it information as it can’t think outside of itself. ³
But what about The Terminator or Transformers? Well, that’s a different thing and we’re not even there. Yet.
Who’s at the Helm: AI or Human?
Instead of being worried about AI, we should use these tools to the fullest to enhance our own creativity. They’re not the enemy—unless it really becomes the terminator—but tools to learn.
Algorithmic art has been very useful in creative industries like art and design. Many use it in design software or 3D modeling programs. Even small companies can benefit from these tools.
With all these innovations, we should always remember that there’s still that one person behind it—You!
Take a look at advertising, how can AI create impactful messages to target audiences? How can it even understand the ever-changing trends and demands of the consumer market? How can AI process feedback if it is programmed to generate similar results for the same command?
Again, it is you, us, and every living creative human talent out there that’s at the helm!
AI Doesn’t Have That One Thing That We Are Proud Of—Soft Skills
There is no doubt that AI’s technical and innovative skills are very impressive. With lots of technological advances in digital migration and transformation, there’s an ever-growing need to upskill and reskill your technical know-how to stay relevant.⁴
However, with all these technological growths, you should keep in mind that these hard skills must be matched by soft skills that are more acquired than learned.
This is the greatest advantage that we as creative humans boast of and that no AI can ever take away.
Think of AI as a Complement, Not a Replacement
The only reason our technical skills and computational creativity matter in society is the reason behind it. It is the reason why we do things, and why we do them the way we do, making them more relevant and meaningful.
In any organization, having the right soft skills is necessary to push it forward.
Can companies remove effective communication, good leadership that inspires employees, critical thinking that not only solves problems but finds the root of the problem, the flexibility of every team member to help one another, or the resilience to finish a difficult project in a matter of hours?⁵
The mastery of software, application, and coding languages are all meaningless if organizations fail to equip their teams with the right values and attitude that not only helps drive an organization to success but also does something meaningful with purpose.
AI was never meant to replace us after all. It is merely a tool that enhances our capabilities and creativity. It helps us become efficient, skillful, and impactful but it can never make us more human than we already are.
Partner with Us at Portfolio Creative
Now that you know the difference between AI and us humans, it is time to learn more about us. Are you an employer looking to hire top-notch creative talent? Or are you a job seeker who’s looking for that ideal company?
Partner with us at Portfolio Creative. Let our team of skilled recruiters help you find the right talent or the company best for you. We are human and this is what we do. We’d love to get to know you better and realize your needs.
Talk to us today!
References:
1. Leos, Devan. “Is AI A Risk To Creativity? The Answer Is Not So Simple”, Entrepreneur. Dec. 12, 2022. https://www.entrepreneur.com/science-technology/is-ai-a-risk-to-creativity-the-answer-is-not-so-simple/.
2. Clarke, Laurie. “When AI can make art – what does it mean for creativity?”, The Guardian. Nov. 12, 2022. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/nov/12/when-ai-can-make-art-what-does-it-mean-for-creativity-dall-e-midjourney
3. APAC Entrepreneur. “The Three Major Limitations of AI”, https://apacentrepreneur.com/the-three-major-limitations-of-ai/. Mar. 17, 2023.
4. Marr, Bernard. “Can Machines And Artificial Intelligence Be Creative?”, Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2020/09/28/9-soft-skills-every-employee-will-need-in-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence-ai/. Mar. 17, 2023.
