Audio descriptions coming soon.
AI is not replacing the work. It’s rewiring it.
“The biggest takeaway is that it’s allowed me to really just reevaluate how I work and see where I can identify different areas that can be more efficient and allow me to do the things that really put me into my creative flow,” Mazz said.
AI is helping teams close the gap between concept and execution.
In one case, Jesse shared how a rapid Midjourney image created during a brainstorm “...ended up being the winning idea that made the client really get excited about the thought.”
AI as a super-intern (with opinions)
For Kristen, generative tools like Jasper are helping jumpstart content creation. “In one minute, I was able to draft six first drafts of an e-mail,” she explained. “That really is a time save.”
But she emphasized it’s not about handing over the reins. “You really need to do some proactive prompt work and prep work to be able to give it the right directions to get what you want.”
Human creativity expanded, not replaced
Even tools baked into daily design workflows (think Photoshop’s AI-assisted subject selection) are transforming how teams spend their time. “It expands the reach of each individual artist,” Hannah said.
“An illustrator, for example, may have a wonderful eye for color and composition, but is really comfortable just working in one particular medium,” she said. “They're now able to take all of the skills that they have, all of their eye, their refinement, their ability to create stories and powerful visuals and do that across new mediums.”
The key? Creatives are learning to bring their unique strengths into the process rather than conform to the tools.
“[AI] is able to take an idea and a vision and bring it to life, but you still need that vision to start with,” Jesse said. “It can come with lots of beautiful images, but if you don't have a direction and a thought behind it, it's kind of a dull instrument.”
Boundaries still matter
While the possibilities are exciting, the team agreed on one thing: AI doesn’t excuse lazy thinking or lazy ethics.
“I think that you can incorporate AI along the journey, but it's really important that you don't let it replace you or your thinking or take what it says the first pass because it's usually not right,” Mazz said.
Hannah added: “It's very easy and very lazy to prompt for something that already exists that you like. Don’t be that person. You have an infinite possibility generator at your fingertips. And we are creative and capable people. We can do a lot with that.”
Final take: Use with intention
“I think we actually limit ourselves if we start to think about, ‘How can AI make this cheaper for me?’” Hannah said. “What we really should be thinking about is, ‘What can we do with this tool that was not even conceivable before we had them?’”
Hannah offered a key mindset shift for creatives who feel overwhelmed: “Be nimble, be experimental. These tools are constantly evolving, so don’t be precious about your workflows,” she said. “And don’t lose sight of your artistry. "
The future of creativity isn’t machine-made. It’s human-led, and AI-accelerated.
