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Is this the death or dawn of human creativity?
Should we fear AI as a creativity villain or celebrate it as a creativity companion?
My wife caught me cheating. But wait, it’s not what you think.
In the corner of her eye, she saw me using generative AI. “Isn’t that cheating?” she asked. After a slightly awkward pause, I tried to justify my actions.
In my carefully crafted response, I explained I was using “a smart robot helper” to automate some tasks. It was like having an extra brain to handle some heavy lifting. This way, I would spend more quality moments with her.
Well, I didn’t quite say the last part. Still, I explained that using generative AI enhances my workflow and even opens new windows of opportunity.
My wife’s playful accusation hinted at a profound truth: Many people wonder if using AI is somehow “cheating.” This sparked my reflection: Should we fear AI diminishing our creativity or embrace it as an enhancer of our ingenuity?
There are different perspectives on this argument. Sceptics will tell you that AI erodes human creativity. At the same time, the fearful will portray AI as an apocalyptic SkyNet future. That’s understandable, given the doomsday science fiction stories like The Matrix, The Terminator, and Ex Machina.
Fear and prejudice toward technology are not new phenomena either. Just as people once criticised the introduction of the first calculators, we now see individuals keying Teslas for political reasons. Emotions and values often shape people’s perspectives, which is encapsulated in the phrase popularised by psychologist Jonathan Haidt: “The emotional tail wags the rational dog.”
However, those who embrace AI see it as a tool that enhances creativity and empowers human potential, unlike the sceptics and the fearful.
It’s natural to reject change or something that conflicts with our values. But when we choose not to consider the full context, we miss out on the benefits that can drastically enhance our quality of living.
