Why creativity is the skill AI can’t replace
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about creativity. Not just in the context of design or visuals, but the bigger picture.
What creativity actually means.
Why it matters now more than ever.
And how it’s going to shape the way we use AI.
AI gets talked about in terms of data, tools, and automation. But the more I work with it, the more I realise something simple:
It only works well if you’re creative enough to guide it.
That’s the difference.
That’s the skill we need to pay attention to.
Creativity is in our DNA.
We’ve always had to be creative to survive and evolve.
We learned to make tools from bones and stone.
We figured out how to build shelter.
We combined ingredients to create bread.
We invented language, music, cities, medicine.
Every major shift, from the wheel to the internet, started with someone looking at what they had and asking, what else could this be?
Creativity has never just been about expression.
It’s about progress.
So what is creativity… really?
To me, creativity is about combining things to make something new. Something that solves a problem or offers a new way forward.
It’s not reserved for “creatives.”
It’s for thinkers, builders, problem-solvers, and that includes all of us.
It might be a new product idea.
A better process.
A visual concept.
A new business model.
A smarter way to use AI in your team.
Creativity is about seeing potential where others see limits.
Creativity is a process.
It’s easy to believe creativity is a spark. But in reality, it’s a slow burn. A skill you build.
For me, it usually comes from:
Exploring things outside of your space
Noticing patterns in unrelated ideas
Mixing one product with another
Giving yourself time to think (and rethink)
Sketching. Writing. Testing.
Failing. And starting again, better
That’s what I love most about working in service design. The space to explore possibilities that make services smarter, better, and more efficient.
AI needs creativity.
Your creativity is what can take AI to that next level.
You understand the problems you face.
You use the tools.
You CREATE.
Mix your own unique blend.
AI isn’t the end of creativity.
It’s the beginning of the next chapter.
This is our chance to design smarter services, build better tools, and create new opportunities, in ways we’ve never been able to before.
We’ve used creativity to get this far.
Now, with AI in the picture, we can go even further.
And I’m excited to see what that future looks like, and to help others build it.
