The short answer is no. Generative AI is not a replacement for creativity, but a tool that can help you explain, dimensionalize or expand on your ideas.

The long answer is also no. First, it's important to understand what generative AI is and how it works. Generative AI uses algorithms and machine learning to generate content such as images, text, and even music. It can learn from data and create new content based on that data, which makes it a powerful tool for creatives.

And if you’ve spent any time on this site at all, you’ve surely heard me singing my favorite tune: generative AI is not a substitute for creativity. It can't come up with the big ideas that you are known for. But, it can help you bring your ideas to life faster, and maybe even inspire something you hadn’t originally thought about.

People are saying things like “you might not be replaced by AI, but you will be replaced by someone who knows how to use AI”. And to a certain extent that’s possibly true, but for creatives it’s less of a sure thing. There is always going to be room for idea people, and coming up with ideas “the old-fashioned way” (like, in December 2022) is always going to have a place.

I would suggest, however, that you learn what these tools can and can’t do, however, if for no other reasons than:

It’s a lot of fun. Playing around with these tools can be so hilarious, awe-inspiring and ultimately satisfying. Even when they don’t give you what you need, they can give you a new perspective and at least show you for sure what you don’t want.

Adding AI into a concept can be part of your idea, once you know what they are capable of. Showing a different side of the hype, or misunderstandings or even telling a story from the AI tool’s point of view (and much more) are all fair play.

Human-only creative work will surely become a selling point for some work. Making sure that you know where the weak points in AI’s capabilities are can help you focus on strengthening those parts of your offering..

I’m a huge believer in the power of a creative idea changing minds, attitudes, and even behavior. These are things that a machine can’t replicate. But I also believe that finding inspiration in – and help from – our robot friends can give us an advantage in bringing those ideas to life.