THE DANGER OF AI TO HUMAN CREATIVITY

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As Tim Cook, CEO of Apple has been documented as saying:

What all of us have to do is to make sure we are using AI in a way that is for the benefit of humanity, not to the detriment of humanity.

I have always believed that the advancement of technology was beneficial and could do wonders to assist and be of help to humankind.

So, I never thought I would be one to discuss the negative side of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or any form of technology for that fact.

But here we are as we delve into the danger of AI to human creativity.

My experience with AI

It all started when I found myself in a bit of a creative rut, and I wasn’t sure how to start writing, let alone what to write about.

I started writing bits here and there when inspiration would strike and somehow managed to get a draft version written out, did my proofreading, and then decided to check out Grammarly to see if I had missed anything.

And that’s when I saw it! GrammarlyGo, which is Grammarly’s new AI tool.

I am not usually one to go near an AI tool when doing anything creative, as I fear I’ll lose my creativity and get sucked into the AI rabbit hole. But out of intrigue, I decided to check it out.

It was easy to get the hang of and well put together, but as I feared, I found myself down the AI rabbit hole. 

I checked how AI would rephrase some of my paragraphs and what it would write about if I prompted it to write according to my title, and various criteria.

And that’s when it happened! I began questioning and second-guessing my creativity and self-worth as a creative person.

1. Was AI going to write something better than I could on the same topic?
2. It can just produce anything on the spot, it seems to be better than me.
3. It pops out with more ideas than I could in a few seconds. I don’t think I am good enough.
4. Is the AI’s writing so much better that I should use what the AI tool has given instead of my own work?

These were some of the many questions running through my mind. Which is one thing AI does not have, self-doubt.

Losing a sense of creativity and self-worth

That’s when it hit me. I was so deep down this rabbit hole in my most vulnerable creative moment that I started losing all sense of self-worth.

Though many people out there may be saying or even arguing,

“You can use AI to give you ideas, especially when you’re in a creative rut”. I do agree because it can be helpful.

And it is often argued that AI is not a threat to human creativity as it can enhance and support human creativity.

But it’s easier said than done.

When in a creative rut, you are also in a vulnerable emotional state, and when you see something like AI writing something out within a second or so, it can lead you down a dark road emotionally. The same can be so for any creative field.

Don’t get me wrong! AI can be a helpful tool and can transform various sectors and industries by working alongside humans and providing what humans lack – and as Andrew Ng (Computer Scientist and Global AI leader) states:

It is difficult to think of a major industry that AI will not transform. This includes healthcare, education, transportation, retail, communications, and agriculture. There are surprisingly clear paths for AI to make a big difference in all of these industries.

But AI potentially has this dangerous side where it can make people lose their sense of creativity, whether it is in writing, music, art, etc.

If we start to rely so heavily on AI when it comes to creativity, it could be detrimental to humankind. After all, human creativity led to the creation of AI, VR, AR, the metaverse, etc. 

And we cannot expect AI to invent creative inventions the same way humans would, even with prompts, because human creativity is often linked to emotions, which AI does not have. Or so it could be argued.

Avoiding AI when doing something creative

So, if you are thinking about or have decided as a creative person that you would prefer to use AI tools to help boost your work or creativity, I would plead against it.

It may seem helpful, but creativity gives you a sense of identity and self-worth. If you add something artificial into the mix, you will most likely head into the dangerous territory of losing your ever-growing creative mind. Even stunting or changing the way young brains develop by deepening dependence on AI and eroding humankind’s ability to think for themselves. Because as Matt Bellamy, lead singer of Muse, argues:

In the long term, artificial intelligence and automation are going to be taking over so much of what gives humans a feeling of purpose.

Some of the greatest minds the earth has seen all created transformative inventions, beautiful works of art, thought-provoking writing, and magical pieces of music. They did this by tapping into the ever-creative flow of energy within and believing in themselves, not by getting AI to help them do it.

Because the one thing AI lacks is human originality which will be a valuable skill in the future.

A final thought from the great, and sadly departed, Stephen Hawking (Theoretical Physicist):

Success in creating AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last, unless we learn how to avoid the risks.