AI and the Creative Industry: A Paradox of Disruption and Empowerment
AI presents a fascinating paradox in the creative world. It disrupts traditional industries while simultaneously empowering individual creativity. As I speak to clients, colleagues, and friends, the subject of AI often comes back to human creativity and how does AI fit in that definition. The frequent feeling that is communicated is usually, “ AI can’t replace true human creativity.” Or “What does this mean for creatives?”. The implication in both of these sentiments is that there is a unique quality and existential reality that AI can’t (or shouldn’t) replace. Notice the last word of that sentence- replace. Change and innovation is usually first seen as replacement of… (fill in the blank). But as time goes by and the innovation becomes more commonplace, society shifts to a more nuanced view of the technology.
This dynamic can be better understood through the lenses of media ecology and media archaeology, examining how technological innovations have historically disrupted, realigned, and transformed industries.
The Industry Under Siege
AI’s impact on the creative industry mirrors past technological disruptions. For example, the advent of the printing press in the 15th century radically altered the landscape of literature and knowledge dissemination. Before the printing press, books were hand-copied by scribes, making them expensive and rare. The printing press democratized knowledge, but it also threatened the livelihoods of scribes and changed the structure of the publishing industry. Similarly, AI threatens traditional creative industries by automating tasks that were once the domain of skilled professionals.
Douglas Rushkoff’s insight, “The commodification of its product requires a business to become a monopoly,” rings true in this context. Just as the printing press led to the rise of large publishing houses, AI-driven commodification of creative content may lead to monopolistic entities dominating the market. Companies like OpenAI and Google, which develop sophisticated AI tools, could monopolize creative production, pushing smaller entities out of the market.
It’s important to delineate creativity from the industry of creativity. There are creatives who write for a living in the form of ad copy, technical writing, etc. But this is different than the creative writing of their own novel, screenplay or poetry. There are creatives that make music for a living in the form of music for commercials or background music for television shows or podcasts. But again, that is different from the same creative writing their own heart felt song or musical score just out of pure muse driven, human creativity.
This is not to negate or imply the creative skill and talent it takes to do the ‘commercial’ work is of less value or ‘easier’. But there is a difference between the creative industry that AI is starting to affect and will continue to affect and the individual creative.
Empowering Individual Creativity
Despite these challenges, AI has the potential to empower individual creators much like past technological innovations. The introduction of digital music production tools, for example, revolutionized the music industry. Before digital tools, music production required expensive equipment and studio time. Today, artists can produce high-quality music from their home studios using affordable software.
AI tools offer similar possibilities. Independent filmmakers can use AI for special effects and editing, reducing the cost and complexity of production. Writers can leverage AI to brainstorm ideas or enhance their prose. These tools democratize creative processes, enabling more individuals to participate in artistic creation.
AND, we have to keep the question in front of us that haunts us all…. “Can the very tools that democratize creativity also lead to an over-reliance on technology, potentially stifling the unique, imperfect essence of human artistic expression?”
Media Ecology and Technological Transformation
Media Ecology theory suggests that the medium through which we communicate reshapes society. The printing press transformed how knowledge was shared and consumed. Radio and television reshaped entertainment and information dissemination. The internet revolutionized communication, commerce, and culture.
AI, as a medium, is now transforming the creative industry. It disrupts traditional business models but also enables new forms of creativity and collaboration. This dual impact necessitates a reevaluation of our relationship with technology, focusing on how AI can be used to complement human creativity.
Yes, AI is different. I get that. But in many ways, it isn’t. In the cartoon series, The Jetsons (which only ran for 24 episodes from 1962 to 1963), the setting is in 2062. The father, George Jetson was supposedly born in 2022. This view of the future in which Robots cleaned the house and interacted with humans, and everyone drove flying cars was widely accepted as the future and what it would be like based on the trajectory of technology and computers.
And here we are in 2024, we are not even close to a world of flying cars or robots that take care of the kids, clean the dishes, and make dinner. Do we have the technology? We are pretty close. But yet so far off.
Will we be looking back in 20 years and see a very different history and world that AI enabled, than the one we are now envisioning? Probably so.
Balancing Threats and Opportunities
Navigating AI’s impact on the creative industry involves recognizing both its disruptive potential and its capacity to enhance creativity. With innovation, it is almost never a binary solution or result. Industry leaders must foster environments that support diverse voices and ethical use of technology. This requires advocating for policies that protect small creators and encourage innovation without stifling competition. As we navigate these challenges, we need many voices at the table. That includes artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers, as well as philosophers and psychologists. After all, this is about HUMAN flourishing.
Looking back through the lens of media archaeology, we see that every major technological innovation — whether the printing press, photography, or the internet — has faced resistance but ultimately led to new forms of expression and industry realignments. Photography, for instance, was initially seen as a threat to traditional art forms but eventually became a respected art medium and a crucial tool in journalism and communication. It brought with it copyright law, ownership, etc.
The Internet and social media have brought with it a myriad of problems and effects. It has also enabled a world that many of us could have never dreamed of and enabled many good things. We can learn from this history and hopefully not repeat the mistakes in the realms of creativity and AI.
AI presents both challenges and opportunities for the creative industry. It disrupts traditional business models, commodifies creative products, and risks monopolistic domination. And it also democratizes creative tools, fosters innovation, and enables new forms of artistic expression.
Looking at AI through the lenses of media ecology and media archaeology, we can navigate its complexities. In the midst of these complexities, we must leverage AI to enhance, not diminish, human creativity, ensuring technology complements our artistic endeavors. At least that is the world I am hopeful for and believe in.
We have a lot of work to do.
For more insights into the intersection of technology, psychology, and creativity, check out (https://pod.link/TheHumanVoice).
