The Future of Creative Jobs!
In the ever-evolving landscape of creativity, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies presents both opportunities and challenges. With AI becoming more prevalent in various creative domains, from design to branding, questions arise about its role in shaping the future of creative jobs. We spoke to industry experts in design and branding, to gain insights into the impact of AI on creativity and the strategies for navigating this evolving landscape.
With the increasing integration of AI technologies in the creative process, some view AI as a valuable tool for enhancing creativity, while others express concerns about its potential to replace human creativity and jobs. How do you perceive the role of AI in design and creativity, and how do you navigate the balance between leveraging AI as a creative partner and preserving the human touch in your work?
Ankita Kumari: I believe that AI tools are currently more helpful in assisting than in brainstorming. Like any new technology, the early years of development are spent perfecting the technology behind it. AI tools are evolving incredibly quickly, so I think the AI companion you want to brainstorm with is probably only months away. However, this does raise concerns for aspiring visual artists in the future. I see AI as being able to replicate only what has already been done. A human being is a unique combination of all the experiences throughout their life, both good and bad, happy and sad, perfect and imperfect. Our subconscious plays a significant role in our creative process. As long as you embrace your uniqueness and let it guide your art, it will be difficult for an AI service to replicate exactly what you offer.
Kruti Berawala: I believe that AI has the potential to be a valuable tool, similar to the Adobe Creative Suite. However, AI tools interpret tasks in their own way, while our current tools follow directions.
With AI, the crucial aspect is the prompts or direction.
However, any piece of communication design works within a context when it resonates with the intended audience. AI may need several upgrades to gather information and turn it into insights to create effective end-to-end communication.
A key aspect of the services we provide is for our brands to achieve distinction in the minds of consumers.
An entire system of elements comes together to create a unified branding system. I am currently unsure if AI delivers on this distinction. Remember the products falling off iconic architectural structures? Every brand, both legacy and new, has attempted a version of this. In this regard, AI has contributed to the sea of sameness, and the initial intrigue it caused seems to have diminished in value.
However, not all is gloomy! We are excited to see how AI shapes up, and we will be watching and learning to further sharpen our abilities in delivering relevant and timeless work for our clients.
Who knows, maybe it will learn to develop conceptual, insight-based solutions, and when it does, we will probably be best suited to use it to its full potential.
Pari Purohit: We are quite optimistic about the potential of AI. Throughout history, whether it was the printing press or software, the initial reaction has always been fear of being replaced. However, we believe that for AI to work successfully, the input needs to be accurate. This input is crucial and is what most of our past and present clients rely on us for. Without this input, no design output can be created. In the way we work with brands, we believe our experience and credentials are best suited for providing this crucial input. Skills can be acquired and automated, but analysis, interpretation, and leveraging judgment with a deep empathy for consumers, understanding of market trends, and the ability to push boundaries discerningly are where branding and design studios should focus their expertise. From our understanding of AI, it works based on past data, which means it would not be able to innovate or challenge historic conventions. On the other hand, our studio does not only operate off data, and that's how we can push creative boundaries. Additionally, we're also exploring AI as a tool to make our work more efficient. One way we've found it useful is to validate hypotheses. This removes a fair amount of cognitive bias and subjectivity, making our process more efficient, faster, and helping move projects forward.
What are your thoughts on the potential impact of AI on creative jobs?
Ankita Kumari: The rapid evolution of AI tools in recent years has been remarkable. Despite being a relatively new technology, these tools are already adept at automating many tasks and will continue to evolve in the future. While the scale of artificial intelligence is vast, it's not the first time a significant shift in art creation has occurred. The introduction of digital tools and personal computing was a similar major shift that happened not long ago. The bottom line is that artists will adapt and endure; they've done so before and can do so again.
Kruti Berawala: AI represents a significant technological advancement, similar to the transition from hand-crafted art to printed materials. Although AI can quickly create artworks, the fundamental concepts must come from human creativity, which remains irreplaceable. In Communication Design, the focus is on effective communication beyond just colors and typefaces. Understanding the context and audience is crucial. While AI tools can assist in this process, they cannot replace the critical thinking of a designer. The impact of AI in this field mainly affects technically oriented roles. Designers should view AI as a supportive tool rather than a threat, blending technology with human creativity for the best results.
Pari Purohit: Historically, technological innovation has always impacted the workforce. Although initially it may seem negative, it can compel professionals to rethink the use of their skill sets and roles in the industry. They may need to upskill to find a more specialised or unaddressed niche. Currently, we use AI to speed up some mechanical processes, but we have not found effective ways for it to replace human judgment and decision-making.
How can designers and creatives leverage AI technologies to stay relevant and competitive in an increasingly automated landscape? What skills or mindsets are essential for adapting to the changing nature of creative work?
Ankita Kumari: AI tools are rapidly advancing, and there's no denying their inevitable integration into our daily tasks. Whether as supplements or replacements to our current tools, the time for their widespread use is approaching. Given their imminent impact on our workflow, it's prudent to embrace this change and prepare for the evolving landscape. In the words of the esteemed animation legend John Lasseter, "The art challenges the technology, and the technology inspires the art." This new technology promises to empower us to accomplish remarkable feats, and we should endeavour to explore its potential, utilising it to innovate beyond what was previously conceivable.
Kruti Berawala: Embracing a mindset of curiosity and challenge, rather than fear and apprehension, is crucial. Designers should identify their weaknesses and leverage AI to optimize workflow and efficiency. It's essential not to overlook the significance of AI, as it is a permanent presence that will only improve. By befriending and harnessing AI to our advantage, designers can stay ahead of the curve. While the allure of using AI tools for precise illustrations is strong, the extent of finesse and refinement they can offer remains uncertain. Although AI cannot replace human creativity, it serves as a valuable tool to streamline processes and elevate quality, emphasising the importance of human ingenuity in original ideation.
Pari Purohit: AI can significantly improve the speed of certain aspects of our processes and execution. Faster delivery can give creative professionals a competitive edge, as their reputations are often built on their unique and effective creative output. The key is to determine which parts of the process can and should be automated, and which ones, if automated, would compromise the quality and uniqueness of the output.
As AI continues to advance, what advice would you give to emerging designers and creatives who are just entering the industry? How can they prepare themselves for the opportunities and challenges presented by AI technologies?
Ankita Kumari: AI technology has the potential to empower individuals, even those without formal art or design education, to create using natural language. However, truly outstanding work will be characterised by thoughtful execution and artful craftsmanship. Aspiring designers should prioritize skill development and the art of creation over fixating on technical details. Like with any endeavor, mastering the fundamentals is essential before pushing boundaries; therefore, investing time in learning basics and establishing strong foundations is crucial. Acquiring a diverse set of tools and skills will enable new designers to carve out a unique niche that is impervious to AI influence.
Kruti Berawala: To effectively utilize technology, designers must understand both its capabilities and limitations. Staying updated on the constantly evolving landscape of AI is essential for newcomers in the field. Mastery of the technology is achieved through understanding and proficiency. By staying informed and adept in utilising AI, designers can harness its potential to their advantage. A key piece of advice is to maintain creative thinking while using technology. It is essential to have a clear vision of the desired outcome before employing AI for execution. This approach ensures that designers retain control over the creative process and use technology as a tool to bring their ideas to life. By combining strategic thinking with technological execution, designers can assert their relevance in the industry effectively.
Pari Purohit: In my view, AI currently struggles to effectively engage in creative thinking and think outside the box. Human judgment, discernment, and the ability to recognize the boundaries that can be pushed are challenging to algorithmize. Even before the advent of AI, I would have advised fresh graduates to focus on developing ideation and cognitive abilities rather than just honing their craft. This remains crucial for staying relevant and, more importantly, indispensable in the field of commercial design.
Can you share any specific examples or case studies where AI has been successfully integrated into the creative workflow, pushing boundaries and unlocking new possibilities?
Ankita Kumari: Isodope Branding by &Walsh is something that recently caught my attention. They used the AI image generator DALL-E 2 to work on the branding. This marked one of the first uses of AI for branding, as they experimented with the platform to generate brand imagery. By using prompts, they created thousands of images tailored to Isodope's themes. This is a great example of using AI as a tool to streamline the creative process.
Kruti Berawala: I find it more useful to approach this within the context of work, like a faster and more streamlined search. When it comes to image and video, while the use of AI is interesting, I find that it misses the human nuance or the "Oh!" moment. Whether it's AI-generated work or work submitted by our team, providing substantial feedback requires contextual expertise and well-rounded knowledge. Currently, within the specific work we do (as we cannot speak for other creative streams), AI might not be able to fully meet client expectations and serve complex consumer needs as seamlessly as research- and intuition-backed design does.
Pari Purohit: We haven't fully utilized AI in our creative processes due to challenges in effectively harnessing its potential. One major challenge we face when working with businesses/brands is persuading them of the effectiveness of our design solutions. While most can't dispute sound logic, suggesting unconventional approaches often triggers apprehension and leads to multiple rounds of time-consuming iterations. To minimize these inefficiencies, we use AI to validate or invalidate the solutions we present. Since AI is trained on existing data, it effectively evaluates designs, usually confirming our assessments. This objective validation by AI helps in convincing clients of the work we have done.
