AI as a Tool vs. AI as a Replacement

Generative AI sparked some debate within different industries, but more importantly, in the creative community. Some people see it as a game-changer tool, while others view it as a threat to human creativity. However, Gen AI doesn’t need to be feared or hated, it just needs to be understood and used correctly. It lies in using AI as a tool to enhance creativity, not as a replacement for it.

AI as a Tool: Enhancing Creativity

AI, when used as a tool, can be a powerful assistant in the creative process. Artists, writers, and creators can use this tool for inspiration and generating ideas, avoiding the creator’s block. For example:

1. Digital Art & Design: Graphic design software indeed changed the art world, and if it did, AI can take it a step further. Artists can use AI to generate rough drafts or explore new style, which after can be refined and be personalised. AI does not replace a human’s creativity, it enhances it by expanding possibilities.
2. Writing and Content Generation: Like the above, AI can be used in writing to generate ideas, create outlines, or even draft content. However, the idea of the content plus the final touches, which include the emotion of the content, remains in the hands of the writer. AI speeds up the process and helps writers avoid getting stuck in initial drafts. ?
3. Music Composition: Musicians and songwriters can use AI to experiment with new sounds, generate backing tracks, or get inspiration to write the lyrics. While AI can do these things, it’s the musician who gives life to the composition, adding the emotion and nuances in the music or song.

When you use AI as a tool, and not a replacement, you are much more likely to understand that AI does not give you the final output or product. Everything it gives still needs that human touch.

AI as a Supplement, Not a Replacement

Why do we think AI will replace creativity? We have tools now that help us with it, and we are open to them and we can do the same with AI.

To illustrate further, let’s consider a few everyday tools:

• Emails vs. Handwritten Letters: In the past, people communicated through handwritten letters – using a pen and paper, which required time and effort. Today, we have emails and instant messaging that made communication faster and more efficient. It made us more creative as well using emojis, photos, whiteboards, etc. Yet, the essence of communication – connecting with others – remains the same.
• Knives in Cooking: Imagine preparing a meal without a knife. You could break the vegetables into pieces with your hands, but it would be time-consuming and inconsistent. A knife makes the process faster and even allows you room for creativity in the presentation! The knife does not replace the chef, it empowers them to create better dishes.
• Photography: Traditional photography involved film and darkrooms, a process that required skill and patience. Today, we have digital cameras, even phones, and several editing software that made photography more accessible. However, the artistry of capturing a moment, framing a shot, and telling a story through the images taken is from the human being.

AI as an Inspiration Source

Artists have always drawn inspiration from their surroundings, it could be nature, other artists, or experiences, and now, AI can be one, too. It can be another source of inspiration, just like any other medium or tool. It’s important to remember that the human touch is still essential to refine, personalise, and give meaning to what AI produces. Whether it’s a piece of art, a poem, or music, the idea behind it came from the human mind and the final product should reflect the creator’s vision and emotion.

Gen AI should not be viewed as a threat to creativity. It is in our approach – treating it as a tool, as a supplement, rather than as a replacement – that we leverage its capabilities for us to become more efficient, and maybe become even more creative. Just as we embraced new tools in the past, we can embrace AI, too.

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