AI isn't the enemy. Our lack of nuance is

AI isn't the enemy. Our lack of nuance is

AI isn't self-governing. People point it, push it, and polish it. Calling it "so dull" misses the point. That kind of take keeps you safe and stagnant while the industry moves on without you.

Nuance is the job now. Not picking a camp and shouting. Learn what AI is good for, where it fails, and how your taste and judgment can make the difference.

Stop calling it "dull" and start asking better questions

Ignoring AI doesn't make it disappear. It shrinks your surface area for opportunity. If your work reports on culture, tech that shapes how images are made belongs in the conversation-warts and all.

You can dislike what AI encourages (speed, sameness, shortcuts) and still study it. That's how professionals work: curiosity first, conclusions second.

Valid concerns exist. Start with energy and sameness

AI has a cost. Data centers are on track to consume enormous amounts of power in the next few years. MIT Technology Review has covered this at length. That should make you think harder about how and when you use it.

Culture can also blur into one long moodboard. But here's the truth: sameness isn't new, and taste still wins. You've laughed at content-aware fill. You've also used it to save time. Tools aren't the problem-unquestioned shortcuts are.

Plagiarism isn't new (and the grey areas aren't either)

Fashion has long "transformed" designs with a few tweaks. Commercial shoots often ask you to recreate a vibe that already exists. References guide decisions. That's the reality of deadlines and deliverables.

Yes, datasets scraping artists' work is an issue. Push for consent, credit, and policy changes. But don't pretend every AI output is theft and every human-made image is pure. The line has been negotiated for decades.

Authenticity has been murky for years

Retouching, filters, tweakments-these have distorted "real" for a long time. Plenty of people can't spot heavy post on a portrait and feel worse about themselves as a result. That's not an AI problem; that's an honesty and literacy problem.

If you care about trust, be clear about what you edit. Educate your clients and audience. Transparency builds a moat that AI can't fake.

What AI still can't touch: materiality

Trends burn out. Voice lasts. Film stocks, prints, zines, sets, props-the tactile stuff hits different. It smells like chemistry, leaves fingerprints, and tells a story before you write a caption.

That surreal "gas station with a giant lucky cat" image? Great. It also screams: buildable. Find a prop builder, craft the cat, call an independent station, and make it happen. Constraints breed originality. Complaints breed excuses.

A practical playbook for creatives

• Get AI-curious (not AI-dependent): Treat models like interns. Use them for comps, mood exploration, and rough sketches. Your taste does the heavy lifting.
• Double down on the tangible: Shoot film. Print contact sheets. Make a zine. Build sets. Texture is an advantage.
• Build a collaboration bench: Keep a roster of set designers, prop makers, stylists, retouchers, colorists. One DM can unlock the "impossible."
• Strengthen your eye: Pull frames from films you love. Recreate lighting. Write a paragraph on why each frame works. Taste compounds.
• Ship small and original: 30 days, 30 micro-studies. One constraint per day: lens, light, color, texture, or format.
• Set your ethics: Disclose retouching. Credit influences. Add AI clauses to your contracts (usage, training, disclosure).
• Protect and price smarter: Define deliverables that AI can't mimic easily: BTS, process essays, contact sheets, test cuts, live direction.
• Keep receipts on process: Document how you made the work. Process is a story. Stories sell.

What to do this week

• Run one concept through AI to generate three comps. Then shoot one version in-camera. Compare.
• Create a 12-frame study using a single light source and one color constraint.
• Cold-message two makers (set or prop) with a one-page pitch and a moodboard.
• Write a 150-word caption on what you edited and why. Post it with your image.
• Pick one "signature" you'll repeat for 90 days: a lens choice, palette, or framing rule.

Use AI with intent, learn it with structure

If you want focused practice on prompts, workflows, or automation, explore resources built for working creatives. Start here: AI courses by job and prompt-focused courses.

The takeaway

AI follows trends. You set them. Curiosity, taste, ethics, and craft are the leverage. The most effective response isn't outrage-it's being more human in how you see, make, and share.