From logo generators to an app that scans your mole and tells you if it’s suspicious or not: the applications of AI seem endless. And then there’s the one AI tool everyone’s talking about: ChatGPT. It analyses, summarises, writes, translates, and even sparks inspiration. So, as an agency we’ve been hearing this question a lot lately: “Aren’t you worried AI will take over everything you do?” Our short answer? Nope, not at all. The longer answer? Read this blog and find out!
Watch out! Here comes AI!
At the Superside Prompt Summit, where the role of AI in the creative process took center stage, only 15.2% of attendees said they weren’t worried about AI’s impact on the creative industry.* And let’s be honest: work often does change due to new technologies, and some professions eventually become obsolete. That’s just how it goes. Lamplighters disappeared with the advent of electricity. But clockmakers? They’ve been around for centuries. Clearly, they possess a (niche) expertise that remains essential, even as their craft evolves. We see it the same way. Right now, we’re in an era where data is transforming countless processes. This calls for a flexible mindset, but also a critical eye: if data allows certain tasks to be automated, where do we, as humans (and as an agency!), still add value?
there's no such thing as intrinsically motivated Data
“Data is the new gold” is something we hear a lot. And yes, to an extent, we agree. Data helps you optimise your strategy and analyse what is and isn’t working for your brand. The more data you have, the better you can fine-tune. This of course applies to AI as well, which processes mountains of data to deliver increasingly refined answers. But (because we aim to truly strike gold!), we’d like to add a few notes of caution. We think data is just one part of the equation. And we believe that the other part is the most crucial ingredient for success.
Imagine a colleague – let's call her Lisa. Lisa is really creative, insightful, and has a unique way of thinking. She finds inspiration in the smallest things, from a crack in a mural to an unexpected color combination in a magazine. What makes Lisa special is her ability to make surprising connections and come up with ideas that are just a little weird, or different. This doesn’t come from a set of rules or calculations but from an inner drive to create something new. She doesn’t just aim to do a good job: she wants to make something impactful, something that makes people think, “Wow, that’s amazing!” That makes her ideas unique and personal. Our Lisa has the intrinsic motivation to really achieve something with her creativity. And that’s precisely what ChatGPT, MidJourney, DALL-E, or any other AI model are lacking. The output they generate is simply the result of adding up and logically analysing the input.
Genuine originality stems from individuality and the drive to create something that doesn’t yet exist. Of course, you draw inspiration from what you know or have experienced, but it’s your human uniqueness that allows you to make an illogical connection or find a mistake intriguing enough to explore further. It’s precisely that sense of experience, connection, and depth that defines what it means to be human!
The feel of unreal
And then there’s human intuition. While AI still feels like a new and exciting tool for many – we’re still in the phase where people say, “It’s amazing that this is even possible” – we’re also getting better at understanding it, especially the digital generation. Part of that is being able to tell the difference between something real and something made by AI. You’ve probably had that moment: when you look at an AI-generated image and thought, 'Something about this feels off,' even though you couldn't directly explain why. That’s the human touch that AI doesn’t have. It’s also a human skill to decide which AI ideas are worth keeping and which ones should go straight into the bin. AI helps us get to good ideas faster, but without our curious, creative, and experienced minds, it’s just a tool. Like a camera without a photographer’s vision: it works, but it won’t create anything truly special. And isn’t that what creativity is all about? About making something that really, really stands out?
The human who turns a spark into a flame
In short, we believe the need for human creativity is greater than ever. Only those who truly master their craft know how to achieve the desired impact. Creative people with innovative ideas, who are capable of generating output —whether with or without AI— that either works as intended or at least provides a solid foundation to build upon. After all, as we often say here: “Shit in is shit out." Give a student and an experienced microbiologist the task of writing an article with ChatGPT, and you can be sure the person with the most experience will produce the better piece. This isn’t about 'prompting' but about steering, correcting and refining until you reach the desired outcome. AI lacks what we might call 'the spark.' It won’t combine trends, obsessions, and experience into something meaningful, unless you explicitly direct it to do so. And that's, in our opinion —at least for now— entirely irreplaceable!