AI, creativity and the reluctance to move forward

At Form Agency, we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of creativity and technology. Recently, as we have embraced AI tools for image creation, video generation, AI voiceovers, we have noticed a particular resistance, especially from some within the design community. On our social posts, we often receive angry, sometimes abusive comments. People tell us to “do better” and claim that by using AI, we’re undermining real creativity.

I understand where the feeling comes from.

Having spent a decade of my youth in the traditional print and reprographics world, I have lived through major technological shifts before. I vividly remember working on lightboxes, painstakingly crafting layouts with a scalpel and masks, and feeling a deep pride in the craftsmanship involved. When the first computers and Silicon Graphics machines arrived, I was one of the sceptics. I said back then, with absolute certainty, that computers would never catch on properly, that people would tire of them and return to the old ways. Of course, they did not. The new tools took over, and yes, people lost their jobs. Entire departments closed down. Skills that once guaranteed a very lucrative career became obsolete almost overnight.

Progress has never asked for permission. It simply happens.

The main difference today is the speed of change and the fact that social media has given everyone a bigger platform to voice their opinions. When the desktop publishing revolution happened, people grumbled, but they did it in studios and pubs, not on global platforms. Now, every shift is met with an immediate and amplified backlash. It can feel like something new, but really, it is the same story repeated.

AI is not just a passing phase. It is here to stay, and instead of replacing creativity, it is expanding what is possible. Thanks to AI, we can now offer clients concepts and campaigns that would have been out of reach even two or three years ago, simply because of budget or time constraints. We can create visuals, videos and voiceovers that would once have needed huge teams and huge budgets. AI has made high-end creativity accessible to more businesses than ever.

When Photoshop first appeared, people said it would destroy real artistry. It did not. It became another tool, and a powerful one at that. Talent still matters. Creativity still matters. AI is no different. It is not the tool that defines the work – it is the imagination behind it.

Of course, there are harsh realities. People will lose jobs, just as they did when factories automated, when computers replaced typesetters, when digital photography pushed traditional film labs into decline. It is not a new story, and it has never been an easy one. We can sympathise with those affected without pretending that progress can be stopped.

I genuinely feel for the younger generation entering the creative industries today. It is harder than ever to stand out. The market is saturated, with designers fighting for work on freelance platforms like Fiverr and Bark, before they even think about getting into agencies. And now, they face a world where AI can do part of the job faster and cheaper. Only those who bring real, standout creative thinking will rise above the noise.

At Form Agency, our team has chosen to embrace AI, not fear it. They are not worried about losing their jobs, because we have the work to keep them busy. If anything, AI has given them more freedom to express themselves and to create work that would not have been possible just a year or two ago. It is a tool that extends their creativity, not a replacement for it.

Change is uncomfortable. It is human nature to want to hold on to the familiar. I know, I have been there myself. But if the past has taught us anything, it is that the industry will keep evolving, whether we are ready for it or not. Our job as creatives is not to resist the future, but to shape it.

And maybe the bigger question is this: do our governments and policymakers truly grasp the scale of AI’s impact – not just in design and marketing, but across industries? The speed of change is daily, not measured in decades. We need fast, informed decisions about the future of work, education, and industry – because AI won’t slow down while we catch up.