Last week, Kathryn and I invited a friend’s son over for a chat about working in the creative industry. His folks aren’t familiar with this sector and are unsure how to guide him. His Dad’s also read that AI might replace all creative jobs in the future and wanted our take on it.
Noah, who’s doing his A-Levels, came over a bit unsure of what to expect. We shared our stories and the winding paths we had taken in the creative space.
Kathryn and I started by telling him about our early years in digital agencies during the Dot Com boom and bust, working with FMCG brands. It was high pressure and fast-paced – a place where accountability and optimism went hand in hand.
I also explained that not every environment nurtures creativity: when I later joined Orange, expecting a dynamic, fast-growing brand, I was met with resistance. Progress was slow. Accountability was patchy.
It was a valuable lesson: creativity thrives where people are empowered. It withers when people are told what to do. I preferred being agency-side.
Eventually, Kathryn and I started our own business. We began as a traditional creative marketing agency, then pivoted to a service design practice focused on social issues, and later evolved into a community technology company – using design and technology to serve people and places. Each stage has taught us something new about how creativity, curiosity and purpose intersect.
Noah is a relaxed, thoughtful guy. We’ve known him since he was a baby. He’s a man of few words but also a bit of a legend in our house for charging impossible waves while surfing. He’s nuts!
Like many teenagers, he’s glued to his phone, aware that he’s doom scrolling but unsure how to stop. His parents, like most, are waiting for a spark to ignite. Somewhere in our conversation, Kathryn and I sensed we were striking a chord.
We told him: to succeed in the creative industry, it’s not enough to consume ideas – you have to create them. Great creatives reimagine things.
Being a creator in the age of AI
Anyway, that’s Noah’s story and he’s since written back to say that he’s decided to go down the design route. Go Noah!
As for AI, well…
At Made Open, we often talk about the risks AI brings to our business. I see it this way: yes, it’s a risk, but risk and opportunity are two sides of the same coin. AI is a tool that can expand our imagination and knowledge, but it works best when combined with our own curiosity, knowledge and creativity. Old school!
If we allow AI to make us feel comfortable, drip feeding us content in the same way television did / does, then of course we’ll over-consume, become passive and simply absorb whatever apps or feeds big tech gives us.
But those same tools also make creating things easier than ever. You can make a high-quality film, design an app, record a podcast, build a community or even train your own AI model. When I was Noah’s age, I couldn’t do any of that with tech.
So I think AI will reward people who think differently. It will enhance our knowledge and imaginations, but it won’t replace them. A consumer adapts to what’s given. A creator shapes what comes next.