The creative industry’s AI dilemma: Adapt or be left behind?

The creative industries (CIs) have long been defined by human skill, talent, and expertise, making them seem resistant to automation. However, AI technologies are disrupting this assumption by introducing tools that automate design, writing, and visual communication, making creative production faster and more cost-effective. While AI offers new creative possibilities, it also reshapes labor conditions, pushing creative workers to adapt to a rapidly evolving industry.


CO-EDP, VisionRICO-EDP, VisionRI | Updated: 03-02-2025 16:32 IST | Created: 03-02-2025 16:32 IST
The creative industry’s AI dilemma: Adapt or be left behind?
Representative Image. Credit: ChatGPT

The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked both excitement and anxiety within creative industries. With AI tools now capable of generating art, music, design, and written content, creative workers are increasingly questioning their role in a rapidly changing landscape. Is AI a collaborative tool that enhances human creativity, or does it threaten the very essence of creative labor?

A recent study titled “Re-evaluating Creative Labor in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: A Qualitative Case Study of Creative Workers’ Perspectives on Technological Transformation in Creative Industries”, authored by Yunus Emre Öztaş and Balca Arda, published in AI & Society (2025), investigates how creative professionals perceive the integration of AI into their work. The study examines how AI impacts creativity, authorship, and labor conditions in creative industries (CIs), offering insight into the evolving relationship between human creativity and technological innovation.

Working within creative industries: The new reality

The creative industries (CIs) have long been defined by human skill, talent, and expertise, making them seem resistant to automation. However, AI technologies are disrupting this assumption by introducing tools that automate design, writing, and visual communication, making creative production faster and more cost-effective. While AI offers new creative possibilities, it also reshapes labor conditions, pushing creative workers to adapt to a rapidly evolving industry.

Creative professionals are now expected to integrate AI into their workflows to stay competitive. The study finds that many creatives see AI as both an opportunity and a challenge - it expands their creative possibilities, but also introduces new forms of job insecurity, ethical concerns, and questions about artistic ownership.

Findings: Creative workers’ perspectives on AI

Perceiving Creativity in the Age of AI: Authors or Curators?

One of the study’s key findings is that AI is reshaping the very definition of creativity and authorship. Traditionally, creative labor has been associated with original thought, human emotion, and artistic intuition. However, AI tools now generate art, music, and writing based on vast datasets, raising questions about who - or what - is truly creative.

Many participants in the study argue that creativity is a dynamic process, shaped by personal experiences, environment, and intuition—elements that AI lacks. They emphasize that creativity is not just about generating content, but about making meaningful decisions. AI, on the other hand, relies on recombination of existing data, leading some creatives to feel that it undermines the uniqueness of human authorship.

Despite these concerns, some creatives embrace AI as a co-creative partner. They see AI as a tool that enhances their creative thinking, helping them brainstorm ideas, generate concepts, and refine their work. However, this raises a new dilemma: Are creatives still artists, or are they becoming curators of AI-generated content?

AI as an Enhancer vs. AI as a Threat

Creative professionals have mixed views on whether AI enhances or diminishes creativity. Many participants highlight that AI helps with time-consuming tasks, such as cutting images, refining designs, or enhancing photo quality, allowing them to focus on higher-level creative thinking. In this sense, AI acts as an accelerator of creativity, enabling designers and artists to produce more content in less time.

However, some creatives feel that AI’s ability to shortcut the creative process takes away from the joy and fulfillment of artistic work. Instead of crafting something from scratch, creatives are now guiding AI through prompt engineering, selecting from AI-generated outputs. For some, this diminishes the sense of personal achievement and emotional connection to their work.

Additionally, there are concerns about AI-generated content lacking originality. AI models are trained on existing human work, leading to repetitive patterns and aesthetic homogeneity. As a result, many creatives feel the need to modify AI-generated outputs to add a personal touch and maintain artistic authenticity.

The Changing Timespan of Creative Work

Another key finding of the study is that AI is accelerating the creative process, but not necessarily improving working conditions. While AI reduces the time needed to complete projects, it does not necessarily mean that creative workers have more time to focus on meaningful work. Instead, many feel pressured to produce more content at a faster pace, leading to concerns about burnout and job precarity.

The study also finds that creative professionals feel compelled to adopt AI tools to remain relevant in the industry. Many participants express a fear of falling behind if they do not embrace AI, as clients and employers increasingly expect AI-assisted workflows. This mandatory engagement with AI raises concerns about the loss of creative autonomy, as workers feel they must conform to new technological expectations rather than explore their own artistic processes.

Despite this, some creatives believe that AI will not replace human artistry entirely. They argue that while AI can generate aesthetically pleasing content, it lacks human intention, emotion, and storytelling ability - key elements that distinguish true creative work from automated production.

Analysis and discussion: The future of creative labor

The study reveals a growing divide in how AI is perceived within creative industries. On one hand, AI is seen as a tool that empowers artists, designers, and writers by automating tedious tasks and expanding creative possibilities. On the other hand, AI threatens the economic stability of creative professionals, as companies look to reduce costs by automating artistic labor.

One of the most pressing concerns is the loss of bargaining power among creatives. With AI democratizing access to artistic production, clients and employers may devalue creative work, expecting faster and cheaper output. This could lead to a shift where creatives are no longer valued for their skills and expertise, but for their ability to manipulate AI tools efficiently.

Additionally, the study highlights a shift towards "curatorial creativity," where creative professionals increasingly take on the role of guiding AI rather than directly creating. This shift raises ethical and philosophical questions about the nature of art, authorship, and originality in an era of AI-assisted creativity.

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