For the love of creativity…

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Oh look, an AI-generated blister pack toy version of that recruiter I spoke to 5 years ago!
Oh, and another!
Oh… another.
Oh.

I’ve seen more of these figurines on my feed this week than a toddler has tantrums.

“It’s just some silly fun,” you say. “It’s not that deep.”

Perhaps. But perhaps there’s quiet irony in adults producing images of toys that, for a child, are tools for expressing imagination and individuality, while simultaneously revealing their own lack of imagination and need to conform. And perhaps that’s the most woefully grown-up thing of all.

What might seem harmless on the surface is in fact a symptom of our digital age apathy towards unoriginal creative content. An insidious affliction – the willingness to mass-regurgitate and mass-consume others’ ideas – has infected individuals and businesses galore. Our lust for the unique has tempered, leaving us paddling in murky waters polluted with mediocre media.

This week’s top hit sounds suspiciously like last week’s.
Another car commercial blares on the cinema screen: young couple, unidentifiable city, funky beat.
“Feel better, live better”, “experience freedom”, “live limitless” – whispers a voiceover as a man swallows a tablet.
Robot robot. Beep beep boop bop.

But what’s led us to this destination?

The pace and quantity of media that we encounter daily has left us creatively frazzled and in freeze mode. If we want to give ourselves space to be inspired, we must slow down. Art is born from curiosity – noticing and drawing from the depth, dimension and vibrancy of the unspoken – and how can anyone be curious when feeling overwhelmed?

Or perhaps it’s more about the allure of convenience. Maybe our commodity-driven, convenience-craving culture has encouraged us to take the easy route of creative ‘production’ – to replicate, to recycle, to steal. And with attention spans shrinking and risk feeling more expensive than ever, why bet on something bold?

And then there’s AI – technology that, when used as a crutch for those eager to churn out content, litters creative spaces with formulaically assembled pieces that lack the depth, individuality and genuineness that only humans offer. Predictable tempos, templated flows and clichés are now just a click away.

In relation to marketing, the sweet lullaby of banality is giving consumers bleary eyes. Your brand's story should be a vibrant thread that stands out in a scarf of sameness . Once you’ve told your unique story, consumers not only understand why you, but why them. A memorable emotional response often translates into a logical choice. Consumers aren’t just buying your product – they’re buying into a narrative, a vision, and a relationship with the brand that feels real. That’s the magic, and the difference between fleeting interest and lasting loyalty.

On a personal note, our acceptance of monotonous media, and our deepening love affair with AI unsettles me as a creative. What value is true art – that which embodies passion, experiences, soul – and its creators, when it is no longer desired, or worse, when it is indistinguishable from the machine-made?

A personal and professional response

But although not a muse, AI does have a place in the creative realm. And there are many ways in which we can break free from the creative inertia that surrounds us.

AI shouldn’t be used to eliminate creative challenge, but instead to challenge the creative. ‘Improve my writing’ can be replaced with ‘critique the arguments made in this essay’, ‘what areas of this piece might not resonate with ’, or ego willing, ‘tell me where I sound like a condescending git and why!’. By using prompts that don’t serve us a finished product, we can better our ideas, not replace them, empowering confidence in our creative capabilities and helping us stay true to who we are.

On a professional note, having been with AS&K for over 3 years now , I can proudly vouch that each project is seen as an opportunity to expand creative boundaries and make space for the unexpected. We aren’t afraid to question, challenge, and question some more.

Unique ideas do not come from uniform thinkers, and our workforce of men and women with different backgrounds, interests and experiences redirects the linear path that leads to the stale. Every voice is valued, because no idea is a bad idea.

We even have a dedicated Teams space where we share inspiration – inviting informal creative collaboration. And firewall permitting, we regularly present our work and embrace any challenges our colleagues throw at us.

And when it comes to AI, we use it to work smarter, not make things easier (there’s a big difference). With AI, we have an in-house code writer, an SEO-optimizer, a to-do list organizer and photoshoot replacement when needed – but our writing, our design, and our voice – they come from us.

Next time you’re tempted to copy and paste that AI-generated AI prompt, for the love of creativity, think different.