Why Generative AI Is Changing Everything
In a previous work-life I was a graphic designer, then a mid-weight designer, ending up as a Creative Director at a large communications agency. Before becoming a Communications Director at my church. Thoughout that time I’ve seen so many technical innovations, for better and worse.
As you may know if you’ve been reading my blog for some time you will have also read my posts about the ever changing face of digital comms and more specifically, social media.
The same now is happening in the creative communications arena. For Graphic Designers, writers, and in the near future in video. How we create what we create will fundamentally change forever.
Read that again.
How we create what we create will fundamentally change forever.
For many of us with a creative background we will be opposed to the introduction of generative AI. I get that argument. There is some beautiful in the way we express ourselves in creating what we create. However I’ve heard that argument since I started in the creative arts industry. When I started out as a graphic designer we set type in ‘Hot Metal’ (If you don’t know what that is, look at the photo at the top) Then computers came in and we could set type on a screen. Then Mac’s arrived and we could design whole pages. Then colour screens arrived. Then the internet arrived and it all changed again.
Editor’s note: I’ve found this cool app that will let you play with nearly all Generative AI app’s for the price of one. Read more here.
Change is a natural part of the creative process. How we create will always shift. The techniques we use change with the technology presented to us. At the heart of it all still was our talent and gifting. No matter how new the software was, the scarcity of our own talent was the deciding factor on the end product.
Now that’s changed for ever.
There is no longer scarcity of knowledge in creating. AI has flipped that idea on it’s head. Creativity is now open source and what has been limited to very few creatives is now infinite knowledge accessible to the many.
There are some examples out there, but one example I want highlight, because its the first I’ve seen of its kind is Church Canvas. Church Canvas is an AI Design Tool with a user-friendly platform designed specifically for churches to create professional-looking graphics, event banners, sermon slides, and other design materials quickly and easily in seconds by simply describing what you want designed.
While it’s only just launched I believe this product is a canary in the mine for all creative services. What was scarce, it now available to all. It’s not based on my talent. But on what knowledge the AI is fed. It’s not perfect as all new innovations aren’t. But I’d encourage you to give it a go and see for yourself. Yes there are products like Canva that have text to image prompts already, but there is nothing specific until now in the church niche.
On the overwhelmingly positive side of things, for all my creative friends, there will always be a place for artists and creatives. Just how we use the tools to create will be different.