Can AI unlock a new generation of human creativity?

"When the camera was invented in 1826, many people thought painting would die. But it didn't. Instead, painters found new ways to express themselves. Painters reinvented expressionism, impressionism, and abstract art. Monet, Munch, and later Picasso, all thrived after the camera arrived. When personal computers became common in the 1980s, there was fear that creative thinking would become less valuable."

"But computers opened the door to digital design, animation, and new forms of storytelling. Studios like Pixar, founded in 1986, showed how technology could help artists create worlds that were impossible before. When Photoshop launched in 1988, photographers worried that editing tools would destroy the purity of photography. But Photoshop expanded what photographers and designers could do. It made visual creativity more accessible and helped build the modern creator economy."

"So why does AI, today, make so many creators feel threatened? History tells us one clear truth: New technology has never replaced creativity; it has always expanded it. Every time new technology arrives, progress follows. The AI Genie Can't Be Rebottled Artificial intelligence is simply the next chapter. It can help creators work faster, explore more ideas, and bring their imagination to life with fewer barriers."

Technological advances have historically expanded creative possibility rather than eliminated human artistry. The camera prompted painters to develop new movements such as impressionism and abstract art. Personal computers enabled digital design, animation, and novel storytelling techniques, with studios like Pixar demonstrating new creative frontiers. Photoshop broadened photographic and design capabilities and helped build a creator-driven economy. Artificial intelligence represents the next phase of tools that can accelerate creative workflows, lower barriers to production, and increase access to resources. Human imagination and lived experience remain essential, while tools provide time, access, and means to realize creative visions.

Read at Fast Company