AI has been the industry’s hot topic for a while now, sparking debates on whether it’s good or bad, if it will steal our jobs, or replace the need for creatives altogether.
But here’s the thing: these conversations miss the point entirely. They treat AI like it’s some sort of autonomous being, a competitive threat rather than what it actually is – an incredibly powerful tool. And like any tool, AI is only as effective as the hands that use it.
AI is not easy to master – and that’s where creatives come In
Just as with any tool, mastering AI takes skill, practice and expertise. Think of it like Adobe software. Sure, anyone can buy it, open it and start fiddling around. But that doesn’t mean just anyone can create an impactful piece of design or hard-hitting ad campaign.
Using AI technology has become a sought-after skill. Take MidJourney, for example. It can create unbelievable visuals and even generate an entire series of images with consistent styles and characters. It can make adjustments to the tiniest details, like changing someone’s t-shirt while keeping the overall aesthetic of the image intact. But – and this is a big but – it’s hard work.
There’s no simple ‘keep style’ button that makes everything cohesive with a single click. You’ve got to know the nuances, the intricate commands, the prompts and the specific language to get you what you want. Much like you can instantly spot an amateur Photoshop job from miles away, you can immediately tell when someone has let AI churn out content without any finesse or understanding.
And this is what’s being overlooked in conversations. Yes, the developments are brilliant, but the more they evolve, the more difficult they become to manage. And if you’re not practising and keeping up with these developments, you’ll quickly fall behind.
This is exactly why AI is a boon for our industry. We, as creative professionals, have the know-how and the platform to practice and perfect its use. We can offer clients something they can’t do themselves, and in that way, AI becomes another valuable service to sell.
It won’t take jobs, it’ll create them
I often find myself wondering why people worry about AI taking over jobs. Look past the noise and you’ll see the latest in a long line of innovations that open up new opportunities, not just for us but for the next generation of creatives.
Think back to the early days of logo design. Before computers, you had to be a master of typography to draw it by hand. Then digital tools came along, but did the art of logo-making die? Absolutely not. It evolved. And as digital animation replaced hand-drawn films, did storytelling itself disappear? No – if anything, it thrived. Technology made these fields more accessible, allowing more talent to enter the industry and AI will do the same.
Take my own studio, for example. One of our junior designers has been working with AI tools for content creation, and the dynamic results she’s been able to achieve are leagues ahead of what was possible in the early days of my career. But it’s still her creative talent and professional touch that makes the difference, and it’s why AI will only continue to drive creative jobs forward, not eliminate them.
AI is a great tool, but clients still need us
There’s a saying I heard recently that sums it up perfectly: “AI is great if you know what you want, but clients don’t know what they want.” And that’s the truth. AI is an amazing tool – if you can wield it with precision. But clients come to us, not always knowing what they’re looking for. They need our expertise, our ability to take a brief and transform it into something with depth, purpose and creativity – with or without AI.
It’s worth recognising that AI technology is here to stay. If anything, its use will only continue to grow. So wouldn’t it be better to work with it, rather than against it? AI models have given us an opportunity to expand our toolbox and improve our creative output, ultimately leading to greater client satisfaction.
Should we fear AI as an industry? Absolutely not. It’s a tool that allows us to offer even more to our clients and, crucially, it’s an innovation they’ll need us to guide them through. It’s not just about pressing buttons – it’s about knowing which buttons to press and why. That’s where our expertise comes in, and that’s what makes AI the best thing to happen to the industry. It’s a service we’re uniquely positioned to offer, and it’s something clients will come to us for time and again.
By Benjamin Thomas, Senior Art Director at JWI.
