AI and its potential has the creative world divided: are our jobs about to get a whole lot easier, or eliminated entirely?
As a creative myself (hi, I’m Megan, Bluescape’s copywriter!), I have felt the existential dread that comes along with technological advances that are rumored to replace creative roles, ranging from screenwriters to graphic designers.
So, I sought guidance straight from the horse’s mouth. I asked ChatGPT if people in creative roles should be concerned about the future of AI.
“While AI has the potential to enhance and streamline certain aspects of creative work, it has also raised concerns about the future of human creativity and the role of individuals in creative roles.”
“As an AI language model, I understand your concern,” sympathized ChatGPT. “The rise of AI technology has undoubtedly had a significant impact on various industries, including creative fields. While AI has the potential to enhance and streamline certain aspects of creative work, it has also raised concerns about the future of human creativity and the role of individuals in creative roles.”
If you’re like me, you still haven’t un-furrowed your brow based on that AI-generated introductory paragraph alone. So, let’s dig into the “few points to consider” regarding how human and robot can indeed live harmoniously, as outlined by ChatGPT:
Automating Day-to-Day Processes
According to ChatGPT, it can eliminate “mundane tasks” such as “data analysis, content generation, or graphic design, allowing creative professionals to focus on more complex and imaginative aspects of their work. This can potentially increase productivity and efficiency.”
Of course, the definition of “mundane” is up for debate. But there might be something to this.
This response from ChatGPT is missing a major nuance: AI doesn’t eliminate these tasks. However, it can empower the people who do them professionally to get a leg up by providing some basic framework to build from.
For instance, I plugged in a prompt and ChatGPT produced an outline. Although that is pretty neat, I still need to repurpose and expand on that outline in order to create an article that anybody actually wants to read.
Additionally, information from ChatGPT needs to be properly vetted for misinformation and plagiarism by someone who can potentially get dinged for those oversights.
Providing a New Perspective
ChatGPT boasts the ability to “provide inspiration, generate ideas, and assist in the creative process.”
For instance, AI-powered tools can suggest relevant images, colors, or compositions, helping designers see their vision from a different perspective.
I can’t argue with this point. Looking at (or for) visual assets through a different lens is always valuable, and sometimes we can get stuck in our own personal echo chambers created by our creative vision.
Sometimes you might find yourself as the only designer on your team with no one to bounce ideas off of while the ever-approaching deadline looms closer and closer. Perhaps having a virtual sidekick to instantly refresh your perspective might serve you well when you’re in a rut?
AI can’t replace the human element of the creative process or the desire to create. But it could help amplify your own creative process and provide inspiration when you need to get out of your bubble.
An Intuitive Sidekick
Creatives are behooved to “experiment with generative adversarial networks (GANs) to create unique and unexpected artwork or use AI algorithms to compose music or write stories. These collaborations between humans and machines can lead to novel and exciting creations,” according to ChatGPT.
Mysterious acronym aside, upon further research, what I think the robot is saying is that you can train AI to identify patterns within your creative output to present new ideas that could conceivably have hatched from your own brain.
This one is a little too creepy for me. But if you’re into that sort of thing, knock yourself out.
Human Ingenuity and Emotional Connection
“While AI can mimic creative output, it may lack the emotional depth, intuition, and empathy that humans bring to their work.”
“While AI can mimic creative output, it may lack the emotional depth, intuition, and empathy that humans bring to their work,” says ChatGPT. “Human creativity is often driven by unique experiences, perspectives, and cultural context, making it difficult for AI to replicate.”
Even reading this AI-generated outline, I couldn’t help but feel unnerved by the thought of a robot trying to mimic empathy. It’s an uncanny valley effect that leaves readers feeling as though they just tried to have a meaningful conversation with a Sim character. The most powerful connection that resonates with a human is with another human being.
Evolution of Job Roles
“AI may lead to a shift in job roles within creative industries,” said ChatGPT. “Some tasks that can be automated may become less in demand, while new roles focused on working with AI or overseeing its implementation may emerge. It will be essential for individuals in creative roles to adapt, upskill, and embrace the opportunities presented by AI.”
The spirit of this sentiment is essentially “get on the train or get out of the way.”
Mastering AI instead of shying away from it will give creatives an invaluable advantage; by positioning yourself as the manager of the technology, you become an asset people will rely on to wield AI solutions effectively.
Ethical and Legal Considerations
“The increasing use of AI in creative fields also raises ethical and legal considerations. Questions around intellectual property, copyright infringement, and ownership of AI-generated content need to be addressed as AI continues to evolve,” according to ChatGPT.
Putting sensitive information into AI that essentially pools content to create net new content raises a lot of red flags for security teams.
In fact, a lot of companies such as Walmart and Twitter are so wary of using someone else’s AI and putting the integrity of their output at risk that they’re creating their own AI for internal use.
And not everyone is using AI for the greater good. WormGPT (see what they did there?) is a tool used by cyber criminals to launch business email compromise attacks that are far more sophisticated than we’ve seen before. Cybercriminals can use such technology to automate the creation of highly convincing fake emails, personalized to the recipient, thus increasing the chances of success for the attack.
Considering the ethical and legal issues that may be associated with using AI, some companies may opt out of using the technology entirely. However, with education and consultation from the experts, it’s easy to navigate the potential risks of using an AI solution.
To Fear or Not to Fear?
While AI has the potential to impact creative roles, it’s important to note that it still needs a human (not one of those weird AI-generated hands) hand to steer the ship.
Yes, new technology can trigger existential crises and fear for what’s next. But fear not, creatives: you have the power of you on your side. You are irreplaceable, and the AI is only as good as the person who wields it.
Speaking of wielding new power, check out how Bluescape is building AI into their working-together, brainstorming, all-action workspace.
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