Killer or a breeder? AI's impact on creativity and jobs

AI, currently in a nascent stage in radical creative domains, holds the potential to transition from an auxiliary tool to a primary driver of creative output. Image: Shutterstock

Contrary to the belief that creativity is immune to automation, the rise of AI is poised to reshape the creative landscape significantly, putting it at a crucial juncture. AI's impact on creativity can be classified into two primary categories: radical and incremental creativity.

Radical creativity involves groundbreaking and unconventional ideas that challenge established norms and routines, while incremental creativity focuses on refining and enhancing existing products, procedures, and processes. AI presently excels in the latter aspect, for example, composing music, generating accompaniment, and even mastering tracks. Radical creativity would be AI's ability to generate custom DNAs for synthetic life forms that can perform designated tasks. 

Historically, humans have progressed as they are at the centre of creative problem-solving with distinctive capabilities like imagination, empathy, general purpose cognition, and divergent and convergent thinking to conceptualise and connect the dots between seemingly unrelated elements. So, what skill will help humans compete with machines? Even the founder of OpenAI, Sam Altman, doesn't have an answer to that.

However, much like the human brain, AI can generate fresh ideas by processing extensive data and permutations. Thanks to its processing power, it operates as an interconnected network of algorithms and data processing units, rapidly generating diverse scenarios and possibilities at an unprecedented scale. Admittedly, it is only going to get better because, as Ethan Mollick said, today's AI is the worst you will ever use. As AI continuously gets trained with trillions of parameters, it is only going to get better.

Currently, the AI is P-creative (Psychological creativity) since its capabilities are limited to the data upon which it is trained. Thus, an idea may be novel to the individual creating it but not to the whole world, and similar ideas may exist. For instance, an AI trained on existing music can compose a new piece that feels fresh to many listeners, yet it essentially remixes patterns, styles, and structures it has learned from its dataset. 

But imagine a world where a central server has access to all interconnected nodes and processes the data of billions of humans in real-time; AI may become H-creative (Historical creativity), essentially creating something that is new not only to the creator but is also novel concerning entirety of human history, bringing in the ''Shock'' element, for instance, finding cure for cancer or deriving new source of energy.

So, the question is, what work remains for humans? Probably, decision-making, choosing the appropriate AI response. But are we even doing decent in that domain? Making bad decisions, having biases, curbing the right to make decisions, leading wars, and so many other traits are there to our credit.

Human creativity often arises intrinsically from personal experiences, observations, emotions, and channelling extensive data, which may seem radical to those with different experiences or thinking patterns. What may seem creative to some might be new to them. [ii] Additionally, human brains are limited in processing numerous combinations due to constrained experiences and cognitive functions. In contrast, computers and AI have limitless capacity and access to extensive data points and algorithms, signalling that AI may soon generate or shape radical ideas without such limitations.

The Evolving Role of AI in Creative Industries

Research by Goldman Sachs suggests that up to 26 percent of tasks in arts, design, entertainment, media, and sports could be susceptible to automation through AI. AI's trajectory in these fields is similar to CAD's rise in architecture and engineering. CAD tools started as supplementary but later became indispensable, reshaping these fields.

Similarly, AI, currently in a nascent stage in radical creative domains, holds the potential to transition from an auxiliary tool to a primary driver of creative output.

Integrating AI into creative professions presents a dichotomous impact on job security. While some roles may evolve or even flourish with the aid of AI, others face the risk. For instance, AI can analyse vast data sets in journalism to identify trends that journalists can use to craft more informed stories.

However, AI can also write basic news articles, potentially reducing the need for entry-level reporting jobs.

Earlier, mere access to the internet created a huge difference in chances of success for someone privileged. But now, easier and widescale access to the internet has levelled the playing field. Now, the workforce in cities faces head-on competition from 70 percent population in rural areas. 

AI democratises content production, enabling individuals to create high-quality content once reserved for professionals. This accessibility has a dual effect: it expands creative expression to a wider audience while saturating the market with AI-generated or assisted creations.

Also read: Is AI ready to replace humans?

The Paradox of Choice in an AI-Saturated Creative Landscape: 

The rise of AI-generated content in the creative field has introduced a paradox of choice. Imagine yourself at an Indian restaurant faced with a vast and diverse Thali menu. The multitude of options can overwhelm you, leading to indecision or ''choice paralysis,'' ultimately resulting in selecting only a few options to satisfy your hunger.

AI has further lowered the cost, time, and barriers to content creation and distribution. This democratisation of content creation has led to an explosion of available options, enhancing the ''show more'' syndrome, where audiences continually seek more variety, that too in less time, before settling on a choice. 

This is further enhanced by the fact that consumers realise that content is created by AI, meaning the amount of human effort and resources put in is not significant, and so they expect more. 

This challenges human artists and creators to produce more work to meet the growing demand for diversity and novelty. Humans may increasingly rely on AI as co-creators to address the demand for variety. However, this reliance raises concerns about diluting human creativity, blurring the line between human and AI-assisted creations, and potentially devaluing human artistry for some consumers.

Future Workforce: AI as a Catalyst for Protean Careers 

After calculators were invented in 1642[6], humans didn't stop doing maths but started using it to do more complex work. McKinsey & Company predicts that by 2060, half of today's work activities could be automatable with generative AI. 

The infusion of AI into creative professions is driving us further into the era of the gig economy and protean careers.

The gig economy is rapidly evolving, with roles diversifying from food delivery to on-demand software development. AI's proficiency and ongoing improvement are diminishing the necessity for permanent positions in certain fields. For example, software engineers can be hired on contract for initial development, while AI acts as a catalyst for code understanding, self-iteration, and maintenance, reducing the demand for continuous human involvement. In essence, it resembles the "McDonaldisation" of careers, where AI streamlines tasks, retaining manual labour for maintenance.

Ethical Considerations for Creativity Ownership

As AI integrates into the creative process, issues like copyright and potential biases in AI-generated content require attention. One potential solution to promote fairness and transparency involves agreements where rights are assigned to either the AI company or the individual commissioning the work or shared between the creator, sponsor, and the one from whom the art is inspired, ensuring sustainable and equitable AI integration.

A key question emerges: Can a solution be considered creative if someone else's work inspires it? Mass AI-driven creation challenges defining ownership boundaries. Employers and employees are responsible for finding a balance between addressing job displacement concerns and leveraging new growth opportunities. 

Recommendation for Future

With increasing information flow, the baseline for competitiveness has increased, calling for problem-solving through innovation at an unprecedented pace. AI integration in creative domains is seen as a liberator, freeing humans from mundane tasks to focus on higher forms of creativity. Moreover, AI can support the innovation process, effectively reducing costs and risks. While concerns exist about AI taking over creative processes, the human touch is believed to remain and even increase in value. However, the human touch narrative may benefit a few and will not compensate for the potential job loss of many caused by AI. 

In this evolving landscape, traditional job security gives way to a demand for adaptability and specialised expertise, where the future workforce excels in swiftly pivoting between skill sets and embracing emerging technologies, favouring highly specialised or generalist careers and agile transitions between roles.

AI's integration into creative professions is not necessarily a threat but a catalyst for change. It augments our capabilities rather than replacing them, nurturing a more adaptable, flexible, and perpetually learning workforce (Candy, 1997; Plastino & Purdy, 2018). Human collaboration with AI drives innovation and efficiency, marking the dawn of the 'Agile Freelancing' era, teeming with boundless possibilities. AI can assist in various stages of innovation, including idea generation, promotion, and implementation. It can aid in tasks such as resource mapping, visualising outcomes, and identifying industry trends for idea refinement, elaboration, and implementation. 

To achieve this, we must prioritise diverse hiring, underrepresented groups, and neurodiverse talents in creative processes. This approach injects fresh perspectives that AI may overlook due to its reliance on limited available data.

AI can be a valuable resource when viewed through Barney'sBarney's VRIO framework. It can swiftly generate a vast array of content, catering to diverse tastes and preferences. While AI tools themselves may not be rare, the blend of human creativity and AI's capabilities can create novel, hard-to-imitate content.

The competitive advantage lies in the freedom and ability of creative professionals supported by organisations to use AI tools effectively in their creative process.

The future of creativity in the age of AI would not be a narrative of replacement but one of symbiosis. Recognising the need for cultural and societal shifts in our approach and celebrating hybrid creations can foster a harmonious partnership between human ingenuity and technological innovation, charting a path where AI is a collaborator, not a competitor.

Ameya Agrawal, alumni IIM Kozhikode and Roopak Kumar Gupta, Associate Professor IIM Kozhikode