AI & Creativity: Why the Human Touch Still Matters Most
The tension between technological advancement and the enduring need for human connection is as old as technology itself. As modern tools deliver ever-increasing efficiency, the value of genuine, messy human input in creating meaningful work is becoming increasingly clear. It’s a sentiment echoed by marketing creative Arie Hoeflak, who suggests that keeping things “real” is where we excel.
Humans have a remarkable capacity for both panic and adaptation when faced with significant technological shifts. Whereas creatives across disciplines express concerns about being replaced by AI, history offers a reassuring perspective. From the initial resistance to the printing press, labeled as heretical and morally corrupting, to the Luddites destroying weaving machines during the Industrial Revolution, and even Frank Lloyd Wright dismissing television as “chewing gum for the eyes”, the pattern remains consistent: new technologies haven’t brought about the downfall of humanity.
Generally, we’ve adapted, refined, leveraged the benefits, and accepted the trade-offs. History appears poised to repeat itself. Despite the hype and aggressive marketing, the rapid rise of AI isn’t entirely surprising. Our evolutionary wiring predisposes us to seek convenience – a survival mechanism rooted in conserving energy and avoiding threats. Our ancestors, given the choice, would likely have opted for the ease of a pie and oat milk latte rather than the arduous task of spearing a mastodon. This inherent inclination towards ease, however, isn’t always advantageous in the modern world.
Embracing the New
I readily embrace new technologies. As a long-time marketing creative, my career has been intertwined with technological advancements. From a childhood fascination with record players to countless hours spent on computers as a teenager, and the ongoing allure of shiny gadgets, I’ve consistently sought out and adopted new tools. Even recently, I’ve found myself enthusiastically using voice memos on my smartwatch during runs. My CV reflects this long-standing relationship with technology.
However, despite its potential, AI hasn’t sparked the same sense of wonder as previous technological leaps. This stems, in part, from the often-mercenary and sometimes unsettling business practices surrounding its development. The current AI landscape is characterized by a frenzied gold rush, a high-stakes competition for market dominance, with companies investing enormous sums in AI infrastructure. As of late October 2025, Nvidia, a leading chipmaker, reached a market capitalization of $5 trillion – comparable to Germany’s 2024 GDP and exceeding that of Japan, India, and the UK. Whether this bubble will burst remains to be seen.
Beyond the financial aspects, a complex web of ethical concerns surrounds AI. These include data scraping and the use of large language models (LLMs) without compensating creators, the substantial energy consumption and water usage required to power data centers, e-waste generation, biased outputs, security and privacy vulnerabilities, cognitive offloading, and the potential for weaponization. These issues are numerous, intricate, and deeply troubling.
The Uncanny Valley Effect
The potential for creative obsolescence is a valid concern. However, my anxiety is tempered by the observation that, at least for now, AI primarily assists non-creatives in producing polished, yet often soulless, work – a phenomenon often described as falling into the “uncanny valley”.
Conversely, AI proves to be a remarkably hugely time saving tool for professional creators. However, the quality of the output remains contingent on the skill of the human operator. The term ‘AI slop’ didn’t emerge without reason.
While AI entrepreneur Mikey Shulman suggests that AI-generated music is beneficial as “people don’t really enjoy making music – it’s tricky and it takes a long time to get good at it”, and Coca-Cola has utilized AI to produce its annual Christmas television commercial, with AI ‘singer’ Xania Monet securing a multimillion-dollar record deal, I anticipate that the initial novelty will fade.
Creatives aren’t likely to be displaced anytime soon. The core of photography, painting, design, music, cinema, branding, marketing, and advertising lies in connection. And a connection devoid of human authenticity simply doesn’t resonate with audiences.
Connection Versus ChatGPT
This brings us to a curious paradox: immense potential coupled with complexity and anxiety. What does this mean for the average ChatGPT user? Are we destined for a dystopian future filled with AI-generated music, videos, and news summaries? Not necessarily.
We are, fundamentally, social creatures with a deep-seated need for connection. Research, such as the depiction of contact deprivation in the film Cast Away, underscores this inherent human requirement.
AI can mimic tone, style, and even empathy, but it lacks the messy, imperfect soul that imbues human expression with resonance. The desire isn’t merely for originality; it’s for meaning that feels earned, not assembled. Authenticity can even become a form of rebellion – a signal that a real person, with genuine intent, stands behind the work.
The Appeal of the Offline World
Creativity thrives in spaces free from constant digital stimulation. We are increasingly seeking real-world experiences and authentic connections to counterbalance the pervasiveness of technology. A recent survey by SellCell, a US tech comparison site, revealed that less than half of Apple and Samsung smartphone users have even experimented with their phones’ AI capabilities, with over 75% of those who did finding the features added little to no value.
The concept of ‘digital detoxing’ speaks volumes. We’re forming ‘offline clubs’ – communities that meet and interact in person, without devices. The Australian federal government recently reaffirmed the importance of copyright protection for creative works, ruling out exemptions for AI firms to train their models on Australian content. This decision underscores the fundamental right of creators to be fairly compensated for their work and to control its use.
Nurturing the Human Spark
There’s a renewed emphasis on cultivating skills that AI cannot replicate: critical thinking, problem-solving, and interpersonal abilities. The World Economic Forum reports that the importance of soft skills has increased by 20% in jobs where they weren’t previously valued in 2018.
As AI becomes more sophisticated, our desire for the tangible evidence of human thought, feeling, and risk-taking will only intensify. AI can refine, automate, and synthesize, but it cannot replace the glorious, messy, and wonderfully human chaos that fuels true creativity. The challenge isn’t to resist or avoid AI, but to ensure that, amidst all the novelty and efficiency, the human spark continues to ignite – and perhaps even set the world ablaze.
This story comes from NZ Marketing magazine issue 85, Dec 2025-Feb 2026. Why not subscribe? Get four issues a year for just $50 (including delivery) if you autorenew.
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