Are We More Creative or Less?

The Double-Edged Sword of Generative AI

Currently, I am diving into the topic of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems as this will be the next big development when it comes to use cases of Generative AI.

During my training sessions and workshops, I share this topic at a high level and elements of that are even implemented into the prototype generation by the participants.?

As part of this, I attended a workshop in Lisbon yesterday. I assumed it was mainly about multi agents but it was even more specific. It was about using multi agents in the context of creating art (visual art in the form of images and movies).?

And this made me think and decide to address the topic of creativity in this newsletter.?

The intersection of AI and creativity is an emotional and fascinating space. And it is evolving at breakneck speed. It is highly emotional as most of us are still convinced that creativity is a human trait.?

As I reflect on my experience in Lisbon, I can't help but wonder: are we becoming more or less creative in this age of Generative AI? It's a question that's been buzzing in my mind, and I'm sure it's on yours too.

The case for increased creativity in the age of GenAI

Let's start with the optimistic view. In my conversations with artists and technologists at the workshop, I heard numerous stories of creative breakthroughs. One visual artist, Maria, shared how she uses a multi-agent system to generate unexpected colour combinations for her paintings. "It's like having a team of colour theorists at my fingertips," she explained, her eyes lighting up. "I still make the final decisions, but the AI helps me push beyond my usual palette."

This sentiment was echoed by a filmmaker I met, Jo?o. He's been experimenting with AI-generated storyboards. "It's not about replacing human creativity," he insisted. "It's about expanding our creative horizons. The AI throws curveballs that challenge my thinking and lead to more innovative narratives."

And when you walked into the space, there was a TV at the wall with a camera attached. Opposite, there was a couch where you could sit down. And your image that was captured by the camera was then converted into a live “Simpsons” feed played on the TV - funny and amazing.?

These anecdotes remind me of a project I recently finished, where I created a song (actually more than one) that made my wife and others cry. And they cried because the song was so emotional - both the lyrics and the music. Just 12 months ago, I could neither do the lyrics nor the music nor the singing. Now, with the combination of a number of tools - and more time than envisaged - I created something which touches other hearts. Is that creative??

It's this synergy between human and artificial intelligence that excites me most about the creative potential of GenAI. One thing stuck in particular. It is the idea to create a new form of art - an art that is constantly evolving by interaction and the almost symbiotic collaboration between the (multi) agent and the human.?

The case for decreased creativity in the age of GenAI

However, not everyone at the workshop shared this rosy outlook. I had a thought-provoking conversation with Ana, a traditional sculptor, who expressed concerns about the homogenization of art. "When everyone has access to the same AI tools," she argued, "won't we see a convergence of styles? Where's the room for true originality?"

It's a valid point, and one that I've though about myself. In a recent training session, I noticed participants relying heavily on AI-generated solutions, sometimes at the expense of their own creative problem-solving. It made me wonder: are we at risk of becoming creatively lazy?

There's also the question of authenticity. During a panel discussion, we debated the ethics of AI-generated art. If an AI creates a masterpiece, who owns it? The programmer? The user? The AI itself? These are thorny issues that we're only beginning to unravel.

The balanced view: how GenAI is changing creativity

As I synthesize my thoughts from the workshop and my own experiences, I am taking a nuanced stance. GenAI isn't making us more AND less creative – it's fundamentally changing the nature of creativity itself.

In my workshops, I've seen teams use GenAI not as a replacement for human creativity, but as a collaborative tool. It's like having a brainstorming partner with access to the sum of human knowledge. The key is learning how to effectively "dance" with the AI, knowing when to lead and when to follow.

And these tools democratise “creativity” as you can see from my song example. Following the idea that every human being is in principle creative - at least as a child - but might not have the skills and techniques, this is now compensated by the GenAI tools.?

Of course, many of the created images might somehow look similar (especially in style) but the same is true if we asked a group of people to draw a house. My house would not be a place where you want to live in. GenAI in this regard just raises the standards.?

Groups like the one I visited yesterday, embrace GenAI, Machine Learning and concepts like Multi-Agent systems to create a new level of creativity. And this is really largely unchartered territory.?

Conclusion

As we navigate this new creative landscape, I believe the question isn't whether we're more or less creative, but how we can harness GenAI to elevate our creativity to new heights. It's about finding the right balance, using AI as a tool to augment our human capabilities rather than replace them and to really create a new kind of Genre - just think of the initial stages of social media with Twitter and Facebook.?

If you and your team want to lead the GenAI development, reach out. We created a 90-days program that helps you to understand and experience prompt engineering, choose and learn tools and automation and get an overview of security, privacy and ethical questions. This is more business focussed but includes some of the creative parts, too.?

Until next time, stay curious and keep pushing forward.

Michael?

P.S. This article was partially supported by GenAI.?