Co-Creating with AI
Humanity has always been drawn to emerging opportunities, from the gold rush of 1849 to the latest cryptocurrency crazes. Throughout history, people have continuously pursued the dream of quick riches. This mindset perpetuates Ponzi schemes, despite their reputation for being "too good to be true." Presently, artificial intelligence (AI) is one of those captivating opportunities. It’s easy to imagine someone leveraging AI to generate income effortlessly churning out books, developing apps, or creating digital art with well-crafted prompts, all while claiming sole authorship. For many, the primary thrill is the financial gain. But for me, that approach seems rather soulless. I wouldn’t derive any joy from it and would be perpetually worried about being exposed as a fraud. Instead, I prefer to collaborate with AI, using these impressive tools to enhance my mind rather than replace it.
As someone with dyslexia, I've leaned on digital tools for decades to assist with my writing. Text-to-speech, dictation, and spell-checking technologies have made it easier for me to articulate my thoughts clearly. Without these aids, I'd struggle to even write this post. In the realm of visual work, software like Photoshop has also enabled me to transcend my skill set and bring to life the images trapped in my brain.
For me, working with AI isn’t about hitting “generate” and taking whatever comes out. It’s a collaboration. I start with a rough draft a chaotic brain dump of ideas. AI helps me organize those thoughts and make them more readable. Then, I take over again, shaping the result into something that feels truly mine. It’s a partnership that lets me stay true to the initial idea in my head while cutting down on the frustration that used to slow me down or stop me completely.
Many people dismiss my new work as “AI-generated,” claiming it lacks genuine creativity and humanity because I used technology. However, the arts have always progressed with the advent of new tools. Paintbrushes, typewriters, cameras, computers—each invention has transformed how we create and share our perceptions of the world. AI is merely the latest, and perhaps the most transformative, tool in this evolution.
We cannot un-invent AI, just as we cannot undo the creation of the atomic bomb. AI is here to stay, and what truly matters is how we choose to utilize it. While some view AI as a threat, for me and many others with uniquely wired brains, AI is an enabler. It translates our complex thoughts into words, images, and much more, enhancing our ability to communicate and create.
About feature image (above):
Ai Image prompted and produced in Designer
refined / edited in leonardo.ai and Adobe Photoshop