A Quiet Thought on AI and Content Creation

Lately, I’ve noticed that whenever AI comes up in creative conversations, the tone shifts very quickly. It often becomes a debate, or worse, a confrontation. That’s never felt particularly helpful to me.

What I’m actually seeing on the ground feels much calmer than the headlines suggest.

Most businesses aren’t using AI to replace people. They’re using it to keep up.

Content expectations have changed. Brands are expected to produce more visuals, more often, across more platforms, in far less time. That pressure didn’t come from AI. It was already there.

AI has simply stepped into the middle of that reality.

For many teams, it’s become another way to explore ideas, test visuals, and move faster when timelines are tight. Sometimes it’s used to sketch concepts before a shoot. Sometimes it’s used to extend or rework existing material. Sometimes it’s used alongside real footage, reference images, or past campaigns to build something new.

None of this feels particularly radical when you see how it’s actually being used.

What still matters, and what always will, is taste. Decision-making. Knowing when something feels right, and when it doesn’t. AI doesn’t remove that responsibility. If anything, it makes it more visible.

I also think it’s worth saying this. Tools don’t define the work. The people using them do.

The quality gap we’re starting to notice isn’t between “AI content” and “human content”. It’s between work that’s been considered and work that hasn’t. Between visuals that are rushed and visuals that are directed. Between content that’s intentional and content that’s simply filling space.

That distinction has always existed.

From a business point of view, AI is being adopted quietly, pragmatically, and without much drama. It’s helping teams prototype, experiment, and communicate ideas more clearly. In some cases, it’s reducing friction between concept and execution. In others, it’s simply making it easier to keep up with demand.

I don’t see this as the end of creative work. I see it as another layer being added to the process.

As with every shift before it, the people who do well won’t be the ones who resist or over-celebrate the technology. They’ll be the ones who understand how to use it with restraint, judgement, and intention.

That’s usually where the most interesting work comes from anyway.