June 04, 2025

Where to Start with AI as a Creative (Without Going Cray-Cray)

37 minutes

Remember when we all thought layer masks in Photoshop were complicated?

Or when you first encountered the pen tool in Illustrator and wondered if it was designed specifically to make you cry?

Well, AI might feel like that right now - both exciting and slightly overwhelming.

If you've been hiding under your desk hoping this whole AI thing would just go away (I see you!) this episode is your friendly guide to understanding what these tools actually do, how they can save you from soul-crushing repetitive tasks, and how to start using them.

KEY POINTS

You're definitely not too late to start using AI in your creative work – we're still in the early days of this technology

AI tools have evolved from technical systems to user-friendly creative assistants that anyone can use

AI learns kind of like we do as creatives – studying examples and remixing what it's seen (minus the 3am existential crises)

The most effective approach is using AI for the time-consuming parts of your process while focusing your human creativity on the parts that matter most

Creative professionals who learn to work with AI will have an advantage over those who resist these helpful tools

AI needs clear direction (just like that client who says "make it pop" needs better feedback from you)

These tools are creative assistants, not replacements - they still need your creative vision and judgment

TOOLS MENTIONED

ChatGPT: Your new brainstorming buddy that never gets tired or needs coffee (if you give it 20$ pocket money)

Claude: Chat's cousin with different strengths - my favorite text based AI friend (well we chat every day!)

Midjourney: Popular AI image generation tool used by designers and artists

DALL-E: Another image generation tool that creates visuals from text descriptions

Descript: The "why didn't this exist sooner?!" tool that edits transcripts and automatically fixes the audio too

Canva: The designer-for-non-designers platform you probably already know and love (or hate)

STUFF TO DO RIGHT NOW

Spend 15 minutes exploring with AI on a current project you're working on – ask for ideas or alternatives

Try the "make this better" test – take something you've created and ask AI to improve it in one specific way

Notice what works for you – what felt helpful? What didn't? How might this fit into your creative process?

WHERE TO FIND WHAT

00:00:00 - My story of going from "what's AI?" to "I can't live without it"

00:04:00 - What to expect from this podcast and today's episode

00:05:25 - The evolution of AI: from "meh" recommendations to "wow, did it just write that?"

00:12:19 - How AI works - explained in creative-friendly terms

00:17:07 - Baby steps: How to start using AI without freaking out

00:19:00 - How different creative fields can use AI (designers, writers, marketers, and more)

00:23:08 - Common questions creative professionals have about AI

00:26:23 - "Will AI steal my job and my latte money?" (Spoiler: No, but it will change how you work)

00:31:00 - What's coming in future episodes

00:34:48 - Action steps and thoughts on AI's impact on photography

COMING NEXT EPISODE

In our next episode, we'll explore "prompt engineering" - which is simply how to talk to AI so it understands what you're asking for. You'll learn frameworks and techniques that help you get more creative, useful results without any techy background.

Did this episode make AI feel less like scary robot territory and more like a helpful creative tool? Share it with that friend who's still using the "I'm not tech-savvy" excuse to avoid learning new things! (We all have that friend... or we ARE that friend!)

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By Tiana Ned