Artificial intelligence has undeniably infiltrated the creative world. The “creator economy,” valued at $14 billion annually, thrives on human creativity. Platforms like Substack and Steemit enable independent writers, artists and musicians to monetize their work directly. Generative AI, while disruptive, could augment this economy rather than replace it.

From generating written work to designing visuals and images, crafting music and even curating entire virtual experiences, AI is everywhere. For some, this technological revolution represents an opportunity for individuals devoid of creativity to enhance their work using these advanced tools. For others, it’s a way to boost efficiency, allowing those with creative talent to refine their output with unprecedented speed and precision.

Consider this: editing a photograph once required meticulous attention to technical details like lighting, exposure and contrast — this part of the process is objectively boring to a creative mind. Today, with AI tools, you simply describe the desired adjustments and the software generates instant results. Whether it’s fixing imperfections like acne and stray hairs, or completely transforming a background, AI saves time and streamlines the process. This efficiency was instrumental in crafting visuals for the Season 3, Issue 1 collection of our magazine. By utilizing AI applications and models, we integrated custom backgrounds and graphics into our photography. I put prompts into an AI image generator, such as: “Create a pastel-colored 1950s town with a massive vintage car in the foreground.” The result? An image that aligned seamlessly with my creative vision. It worked perfectly for crafting backgrounds I envisioned which then allowed me to cut, crop, layer and design my photographs how I liked onto the AI background. 

AI’s full role in creativity, however, remains a bit controversial. While it excels at assisting with technical tasks and providing a foundation for artistic works, it falls short in producing creations with true depth and diversity. The distinctive touch of human creativity is still unmatched. According to the MIT Technology Review, AI often homogenizes and flattens collective creative output, making stories and artworks more similar to each other than those made up entirely by humans. This suggests that while AI can enhance creativity, its results may lack the originality and novelty that define human artistry; one might call this distinctive touch of humanity the “human aspect”. As much as AI can enhance the creative process, it cannot replicate the core ideas and concepts that originate from human imagination. 

This distinction is crucial. For truly creative individuals, AI is a tool — a technique for bringing their visions to life more efficiently, just as any other art movement before had its own, new unconventional technique or tool. But for those who rely entirely on AI to generate concepts, the disparity is evident. The “human aspect” is what breathes authenticity and originality into art. Without it, AI creations often feel hollow, easily recognizable as artificial. Generative AI excels at producing patterns but lacks the emotional depth and intuitive understanding necessary for true originality. This is why I firmly believe AI cannot, and should not, replace human creativity. The beauty of human imagination is too precious to be overshadowed by software.

The impact of AI extends beyond visual arts into music. On platforms like TikTok, we’ve seen AI reproduce famous songs with uncanny accuracy, resung in the voices of other artists. While undeniably impressive, it does raise questions about authenticity and artistic integrity. Is AI in music innovative, or does it undermine the original purpose of music as an expression of human emotion and individuality? Call me old-school, but I find myself torn. Interestingly, history provides some context. The invention of photography in the 19th century was initially seen as a threat to painting but ultimately became a catalyst for new art forms, pushing artists toward abstraction and modernism. Could AI be the next photography — not a replacement for creativity, but simply a new art medium to be utilized? As BBC points out, AI has the potential to liberate artists from creative constraints, offering a platform to explore ideas and expand their artistic boundaries. 

As we navigate this new chapter, I suppose it all lies in balance. AI should remain a tool — a means to amplify human creativity — rather than a replacement for it. We simply have to accept AI; it’s everywhere, and we can’t escape it regardless of our personal views. Ideally, we will find ways to utilize it as a tool rather than allowing it to completely overthrow  the  “human aspect”. Therefore, while its efficiency and versatility are undeniable, the magic of art lies in the human mind and spirit. Let’s hope that this essence remains irreplaceable, so that the unique beauty of human creativity is passed on for generations to come.