Art or artificial? Human- vs AI-generated design

When it comes to creating content that has life, depth and originality, AI is sadly lacking.

An introverted type, I spend a lot of time thinking.

And lately, I’ve been thinking about what AI-generated content lacks that human-designed content doesn’t.

At first, I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but as I mulled it over, it suddenly came to me: AI-generated words and images lack depth. They have no light and shade, are void of emotion and evoke no atmosphere or mood – all those uniquely human things that we find in art and literature that robots simply can’t replicate. But most of all, they lack soul.

The great writers and artists of the past ventured deep into their own imaginations, memories and emotions to create their famous works. They used carefully considered language, colours or brushstrokes to convey feelings. They spent time and effort observing human behaviour to invent stories and works of art that still grip us even after centuries have passed. Great art stays with us. Can AI ever move us in the same way?

Imagine if Emily Brontë had used ChatGPT to write Wuthering Heights, if Shakespeare had used it to write Macbeth, or Vincent Van Gogh had asked Midjourney to produce his famous Starry Night painting. What would the results have been like? I’ll tell you. Flat. Empty. Soulless.

Van Gogh painted Starry Night and many other notable works during periods of severe emotional turmoil. Michelangelo took four years to paint his masterpiece on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel despite acute physical discomfort. Both artists were challenged by inner struggles, but the results were the magnificent awe-inspiring works we still marvel at today.

I’m not saying we must suffer in a tortured-soul kind of way to be successful, but as creative humans we do want – and need – to put our heart into a piece of work, no matter how small. Otherwise, it’s simply not worth doing.

In his book Writing a Novel (1974), John Braine discussed the idea of ‘the quick and the dead’. By ‘quick’ he meant ‘alive’ and encouraged aspiring authors to breathe life into their writing by taking out anything that doesn’t add to the story, i.e. the ‘dead’ and to focus on what gives the story depth and colour, i.e. the ‘quick’.

The result is (hopefully!) writing that has originality, light and shade, emotion, personality and drama. All the things that AI just can’t reproduce.

You could argue that the art of using AI is in refining the prompts. But where’s the fun or challenge in that? The result for me is still unsatisfactory. There is a sense of achievement in crafting a piece of art or writing. Call me a dinosaur if you like, but I’m slow to embrace AI because it still feels like cheating. Perhaps I’ll get left behind, but I’m willing to take that risk.

The attractions of AI over human-generated content are obvious: it’s quick, easy and costs nothing. After all, you’re busy and strapped for cash, so why spend time and effort on something you can do for free in a matter of seconds? But unfortunately, the results aren’t always good quality.

I’ve seen a few TV adverts recently that use AI-generated people in them. My impression of those companies and their products are poor, and I would not deal with them in any circumstances. So, to me, the choice is clear: cheap and quick, or quality and considered? I know which I would choose.

What cuts through all the social media noise is something that’s original and unique, that shows care has been taken over its creation. We stop scrolling and take notice. It stands out amid the clamour because it has life.

Human-created words and images elevate your product or service in the minds of potential customers. They show you’ve taken care over their design, which means you’ll take care of your clients, too.

If you want to breathe life into your brand messaging, don’t cut corners or make compromises by reaching for the AI prompt. Give your collateral the time and attention it deserves and have it designed by a human. It might not be perfect, but it will have soul.