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The search for creative meaning in an age of AI
It can generate images in seconds, research and explore thinking at scale, and even automate parts of a process that previously may have taken much longer. From a business point of view, I can see the attraction – speed, efficiency, the potential of lower costs – all very tempting. But understanding AI’s power also means understanding its limits.
While shortcuts and automation might look like value on a spreadsheet, they don’t automatically translate into work that connects with people, and connection – not efficiency – is where I think lasting value comes from.
Creative work that connects with people has never just been about output. It’s about the process that gets you there. The wrong turn that sparks a better idea, or the mistake that reveals something you hadn’t planned. Those moments aren’t wasted – they’re where insight and originality usually come from, and where artists or designers begin to understand why something works, not just that it does.
When AI shortcuts straight to what some might think is a ‘polished’ result, that learning often disappears. You get something that might look ‘finished’ at a glance, but hasn’t been questioned, challenged, or emotionally tested in the same way. I won’t go into the plagiarism debate here, but much AI-generated imagery still relies on recombining existing work, often created by real artists, designers, or photographers.
AI doesn’t make mistakes through exploration or uncertainty. Its work is not the result of curiosity, doubt, or risk. Human mistakes carry intent: “I tried this and it didn’t work. I pushed this too far. I don’t know the answer yet.” I think that intent matters. It shapes judgment, refines taste, and gives work a sense of authorship. Audiences might not articulate it, but they feel it. It’s the difference between something that looks right and something that feels real.
When brands opt for speed and automation, they often end up with work that’s emotionally interchangeable. Content that fills space rather than builds meaning. Campaigns that might perform briefly, but ultimately disappear.
When ‘efficiency’ neglects meaning
As AI-generated content becomes more common, it’s also becoming more recognisable. And with that, audiences are starting to respond differently. A couple of examples stood out to me over the festive period.
Coca-Cola’s 2025 Christmas advert – a campaign entirely created using generative AI that was met with a largely negative public reaction. Many viewers described the ad as “soulless and creepy”, lacking the emotional warmth typically associated with the brand’s festive advertising of the past. Some reactions even highlighted multiple errors and inconsistencies in the visuals, criticising the reliance on machine generation over real animators and storytellers.
Another example where the use of AI felt at odds with real human connection was the Smartphone Free Childhood Christmas card initiative. The campaign – aimed at sparking reflection about the role of smartphones in children’s lives and celebrating analogue connection – was shared widely across the UK. However, because some of the visuals were created or enhanced using AI tools, the reaction among supporters was noticeably uneasy. Many felt that leaning on AI-generated imagery produced without the human imperfection and warmth the campaign sought to protect, almost contradicted the very message of slowing down, being present, and nurturing genuine childhood experience. In a movement built on real human interaction, shared concern, and collective storytelling, synthetic art was seen by some as jarringly out of step with the initiative’s ethos.
Real value in creative work doesn’t come from how quickly something was made; it comes from how deeply it resonates. Resonance requires human understanding, lived experience, and emotional judgment, and I’m not convinced those things can be automated.
I’m sure that where there are failures, there will also be success stories. AI will continue to advance but call me old-fashioned – I believe we’ll see a growing appetite for all the things that are lost when AI replaces human creativity. Visible craft, a clear point of view, or imperfection that show effort and care. Not because it’s nostalgic, but because it feels honest. In a world full of noise and content, work that shows authenticity stands out.
AI is a powerful tool, and we’d be naive to ignore it. Used well, it can support better creative thinking, but it shouldn’t replace the parts of the process that can help to create meaning. Because at the end of the day, people don’t connect with how efficiently something was made. They connect with what it makes them feel – and that still comes from humans – imperfections and all.