AI & creativity

What’s the future for AI & creativity?

As a creative coach with a digital marketing/SEO background, I feel I have a unique take on the AI & Creativity conversation.

I’ve been obsessed by the nature of inspiration and creative expression for over 20 years, as well as being a creative professional all my working life.

Yet, I’m also a huge fan of technology and how new tech advances can improve life for all of us.

So, if you’ve been curious about the role of AI in the creative process, here are my responses to a recent survey about creativity and artificial intelligence.

These insights are based on the future for digital marketing and content creation, as well as creativity in general and its place within humanity on a wider scale.

They are also rooted in my eternal optimism and deep conviction that the future is bright for the whole human family. 🙂

Will AI replace human creativity?

Yes and no.

AI will undoubtedly replace some forms of human-generated content creation, as it can be cheaper, faster and more accessible than human creatives for some content requirements.

For many businesses and services, this can be highly beneficial.

We’re already seeing just how helpful it can be in many sectors, even though this may cause some unwelcome shake-ups as society adjusts to the latest advances.

However, I strongly believe there will be limits to this and there will be many areas where AI just can’t compete with the human factor.

Is AI content is as valuable as human-made content?

In some ways, AI may produce more accurate and consistent content than we humans do.

When it comes to pure information, AI can be extremely helpful, and of course, it’s becoming more sophisticated all the time.

Yet it lacks two crucial aspects that human-generated content will always benefit from:

The X Factor

The first is that mysterious X Factor that helps some content connect with other humans in ways that AI just can’t yet replicate, and may never be able to do.

There is more going on when we create content than mere functional processes.

Humans imbue a certain quality into creative works that comes from the intangible, invisible realms – the spheres of inspiration, creativity, intuition and insight.

While this often plays out on a subconscious level when people consume the content, there’s no doubt that this level of communication is at work, and it may be something AI can never replicate.

The nuances of human communication

The second element is the idea of nuances.

These tiny subtleties can make an enormous difference in the success of communication.

Nuances of language, the appropriateness of imagery, and the overall composition as more than a sum of its parts – these come naturally to us humans, yet they are highly complex functions, making them extremely difficult to replicate technologically.

In summary, I feel the difference between AI and humans is like the difference between knowledge and wisdom – one is a worthwhile practical aspect, the other is an intangible yet far more valuable asset.

The difference between AI and human creativity is like the difference between knowledge and wisdom.

What is AI useful for?

When basic information is required, particularly following predictable patterns, such as ChatBots, surveys etc, AI can be extremely useful.

Also, when the human factor is not required or even desired (such as to remove unconscious bias), AI can be useful and appropriate.

I feel that AI has a positive future within SEO – given the digital nature of online marketing – as long as it’s applied in the right areas, and not purely as a cost-cutting measure at the expense of quality and originality.

I also feel that humans will bring the game-changing ingenuity to the mix that will lead to the most harmonious collaboration of human creativity and technological power.

Like I said, I’m an eternal optimist. 🙂

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Just as an aside, I enjoyed considering and expressing these ideas, which makes me wonder; will the joy of creation – and its ripple effects – be something AI could ever replicate…? 🙂

Dive deeper…

If you’d like to dive deeper into the topic of the role of human creativity, as well as the potential to enjoy the journey as much as possible, I explore these ideas and many more in my book of the blog; Tonics For Your Creative Spirit.

(If you’re as curious as I am about the nature of inspiration, you’re going to love the chapter on Who is the muse? 🙂 )

More details below…