Human Creativity + AI: A Match Made in Innovation Heaven or a Risky Shortcut?
In a recent episode of The NDA Podcast with Katie Cadwell, co-founder of branding studio Lucky Dip, our Springboards co-founder Pip Bingemann and Jess Macintyre, co-founder of Mac+Moore, dived deep into the hot topic: who’s better at coming up with ideas—humans or AI? Spoiler: It’s not a competition; it’s a collaboration.
In a recent episode of The NDA Podcast with Katie Cadwell, co-founder of branding studio Lucky Dip, our Springboards co-founder Pip Bingemann and Jess Macintyre, co-founder of Mac+Moore, dived deep into the hot topic: who’s better at coming up with ideas—humans or AI? Spoiler: It’s not a competition; it’s a collaboration.
We grabbed some insightful gems from the conversation. Read on to hear more about their thoughts on where AI can be a powerful tool for creatives, where it might fall short, and why it’s essential for creativity to stay grounded in human skill and craft.
“Human + AI” and Why Experience Still Matters
Pip kicked things off by challenging the classic “AI vs. Human” narrative. The big insight? Humans and AI together are more potent than either alone. Research suggests that working with AI actually “levels up” everyone involved. Pip’s take is that AI will really benefit those who’ve already developed their craft and have already learned how to creatively problem solve.
Watch what he thinks AI is adding to someone who already feels like they're at the top of their game.
But there’s a warning here, too: AI makes it easy to coast. It’s a tempting shortcut, but Pip emphasizes that if you haven’t put in the time to develop a strong creative voice, AI won’t do it for you. AI can accelerate a skilled hand, but it’s not a substitute for a point of view or real experience.
In a world where technology has always been an enabler, the smart approach is using AI as a collaborator, NOT a replacement. AI will likely never fully match the depth and intuition of human creativity. But it can certainly speed up problem-solving and help teams—especially smaller ones—be more efficient without sacrificing quality.
Will Everything Start to Look the Same?
One of the most powerful moments in the conversation was Pip’s take on a potential AI-driven “vanilla future.” Picture it: brands all start to blend together, looking and sounding like copies of each other, optimized to death by algorithms. If we lean too heavily on AI for creativity, there’s a risk of homogenizing the world—a dystopian future Pip (a self-proclaimed dystopian geek), would rather avoid.
Instead, creatives should “use AI against itself,” flipping it from a tool of conformity to a tool of innovation. AI should help us break down barriers, not box us into them. Used wisely, AI could provide us with surprising, fresh perspectives that push creativity in new directions.
The True Value of Creative Agencies in an AI-Driven World
As AI gets more powerful, clients may start to question the role of agencies. Why pay for creative services when a machine can crank out content? Pip’s answer: Creativity is all about breaking patterns and offering something unexpected, which AI alone can’t do.
At the end of the day, creative agencies bring more than just an output—they bring a point of view. For high-value clients, it’s not about the deliverable alone; it’s about the partnership, the unique perspective, and yes, even the “throat to choke” when things go sideways. AI can’t replace that, no matter how efficient it becomes.
Navigating the AI Hype Cycle Without Losing What Makes Us Human
Jess talked about, in an era of FOMO and “FOBO” (fear of being obsolete), everyone’s jumping on the AI bandwagon. She goes on to say how there’s this narrative about talking about innovation and such but people aren’t thinking about what it actually is and means for society. The crux of it is that real creativity requires that we respect and defend the human element in our work. AI is just a tool, and how we use it determines whether we’re truly innovating or just riding the hype.
In short: AI can help us be more efficient, tackle the blank-page problem, and even generate fresh ideas. But it’s up to us to make sure the work still has heart. As Pip says, “We’ve got to fight harder for the value of creativity and respect the craft.”
How to Handle Gender Bias and Expanding Access
The subject of AI’s inherent gender bias came up quite a bit and they started off the conversation talking about how Midjourney’s AI tools have been in the news for race and gender bias that users have identified. Jess remarked that she’s very cognizant of how we can learn from it, be more mindful and work towards a more inclusive future that is representative of society. There’s tons of research so far on gender bias in AI tools, so there’s no denying it but only learning and moving forward.
AI has the possibility to democratize access to creativity, lowering barriers for underrepresented voices across the globe. Pip talked about how wherever you are in the world, whether you’re in South America, India, or Africa, “AI welcomes more people in. You don’t need a fancy degree or expensive tools.” That’s where AI truly shines—making space for new players, new perspectives, and new ideas.
For small studios, freelancers, or indie creatives, AI levels the playing field. A solo creator can compete with global agencies if they’re transparent about using AI as a competitive edge. One freelancer using Springboards remarked, "I feel like with Springboards, I can take on any agency in the world as one individual." And that’s such a powerful response to the process.
The takeaway? AI isn’t a shortcut—it’s a springboard. When used with intention, it empowers creative humans to stay in the driver’s seat, break the mold, and keep making work that matters.
Check out the full Podcast episode here.
