AI didn’t kill creativity.
But it’s definitely exposed the people who never had much of it to begin with.
Lately, I’ve been buried in cover letters. Dozens of messages, DMs and cold emails, all using the same language, the same tone, the same over-polished, algorithmically-sanitised voice.
“I’ve been following your agency for a while, and it’s nothing short of inspiring …”
No you haven’t. And no it isn’t. Not to you, anyway. Because if it was, you’d know what we actually do. You’d have an opinion. A question. A point of view.
Instead, what I’m seeing, on LinkedIn, in portfolios, in applications, is a wave of content so AI-generated it might as well still have the ChatGPT prompt left in. (And yes, some of them actually do.)
So no, this piece isn’t anti-AI. It’s anti-apathy.
Because the real threat isn’t the tools. It’s the mindset.
The new laziness isn’t about effort. It’s about intent
People are still working hard. Harder than ever, maybe. Prompting, refining, styling, exporting. But the question isn’t how much effort you’re putting in, it’s why you’re doing it in the first place.
If your cover letter says you’re inspired by our work, tell me what inspired you. If your case study says you love storytelling, tell me a story I haven’t heard before. If, your post is meant to be personal, make it sound like you actually wrote it.
If you’re applying for a role, be specific. Don’t just say you admire the agency, show us how. Pick one project. One moment. One sentence from our website that actually sparked something in you. That’s how you stand out. Not by sounding impressive, but by sounding real.
Because right now? I can smell the template from a mile off. And so can every other creative lead in the industry.
We’re mistaking access for ability
Everyone has the tools. That’s not the flex anymore. The early adopters had an edge. The rest of us caught up. And now? Access is the default. Anyone with a browser and a brief can whip up a brand platform, write a deck or launch a campaign in record time.
So if everyone’s got the same tools, what’s left?
Taste.
Judgement.
Originality.
The stuff that can’t be downloaded. The things that still take time to sharpen and years to master.
AI lets you generate ideas. But it doesn’t tell you which ones are good. And it definitely doesn’t stop you from shipping bad ones.
So here’s a challenge: Use the tools, but then go further. Ask yourself: would I be proud to present this in person? Could I explain the thinking behind it without hiding behind AI polish? If not, you’re not done.
Everyone wants the job. But no one wants the work.
We’ve been hiring for an intern. I thought it would be easy. It’s not. Because the hunger just isn’t there like it used to be.
Basic asks – a few social posts, some concept support – suddenly feel beneath people. Despite the fact they’ve never actually worked in the industry. Despite the fact those “small” things are where every great creative starts.
I’m not asking for a hustle culture comeback. I’m not glamorising the all-nighters and ‘grindset’ mentalities of our past. But I am asking for care. For curiosity. For a willingness to build a foundation before demanding a title.
Some of the best creatives I know still obsess over the little things. And that’s why they’re trusted with the big ones.
If you’re just starting out, focus on being helpful. Ask questions. Offer to take on the parts others don’t want. Build trust. That’s how you get invited into bigger rooms, not by skipping steps, but by showing up when it counts.
AI should speed up the mundane, not replace the meaningful
Let’s be clear. I use AI every day. To write, to think, to sketch. It’s fast. It’s useful. It helps.
But it’s not a replacement for caring. And it never will be.
AI can help you write the first draft. But it won’t know your values. It won’t know your audience. And it definitely won’t stop you from publishing something mediocre just because it was easy. Use AI to get you moving, but don’t stop there. Rewrite. Reframe. Inject your voice. Think of the first output as scaffolding, not the finished building. Real pride comes from shaping it into something distinctly yours.
AI is like a gym membership. Having one doesn’t mean you’re fit.
So what now?
The bar hasn’t changed. The noise around it has.
We’re entering a new creative era where everyone can produce something, instantly. That’s not impressive anymore.
What’s impressive is taste. Discretion. Editing. Saying no to the first draft. Saying yes to what makes something feel distinctly yours.
So if you’re looking for an edge, don’t look to AI.
Look to care. Look to craft. Look to the stuff that still takes time.
If you’re wondering where to start, start by caring more than the next person. Care enough to dig into the brand. Care enough to rewrite the copy until it feels right. Care enough to learn from feedback instead of fearing it. That’s the edge.
Because when everyone’s using the same tools, the only thing that separates you, is how much of you is actually in the work.
By Benjamin Thomas, Creative Director at JWI
