Put a Human Back in the Driver’s Seat

No, this isn’t a blog about the self-driving Tesla nor Waymo, but I have tried them and I find them terrifying! NOT READY FOR ALL THAT! Moving on…

I use AI. There, I said it. I use it to brainstorm, organize my thoughts (so many grammar checks), explore ideas, remove 90% of the exclamation marks I use, and help me out when my creative brain has approximately 47 tabs open at once. AI can be an incredible creative partner, and I am absolutely not here to tell businesses to run away from it.

BUT when it comes to your final graphics and output? Please put a human back in the driver’s seat.

There’s a big difference between using AI to help you create and allowing AI to be the creator. I think some businesses are skipping a really important step in the creative process: taking what AI gives us and running it through an actual human brain before we put it out into the world.

The Algorithm Isn’t Necessarily Your AI Graphic’s Biggest Fan

Let’s start with the algorithm conversation. There isn’t some universal rule that says, “AI GRAPHIC DETECTED. DESTROY ITS REACH!” (cue Transformer robot voice when you read that, haha!). Platforms are constantly changing, and we should be careful about claiming that simply using an AI-generated image automatically tanks your content.

The bigger issue, in my opinion, is human behavior. Algorithms pay attention to what people do with your content. Do they stop scrolling? Do they spend time looking at it? Do they engage, comment or share? Or do they immediately scroll past because it looks like just another glossy, slightly strange, information overload AI image filling their feed?

If people consistently aren’t interested in a certain type of content, the algorithm gets that message too. So instead of obsessing over whether an algorithm technically knows your graphic was made with AI, I’d be much more concerned with whether the human being on the other side of the screen wants to look at it. (Step #1: KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE!)

Our Brains Know When Something Feels…Off

You probably know the type of image I’m talking about. Everyone is suspiciously attractive. The lighting is aggressively perfect. The room is immaculate. Someone’s teeth look like they could illuminate a small airport runway. Then you look a little closer and realize someone has six fingers, the coffee mug is melting into the table or there’s some mysterious object floating in the background. I always giggle at these!

AI-generated images have gotten MUCH better, and they will continue to improve. But even when there isn’t an obvious AI mistake, there can still be something about an image that feels artificial. Humans are incredibly tuned into faces, expressions, proportions, environments and social cues. When something is almost realistic but not quite, our brains can pick up on those inconsistencies whether you realize it or not.

That creates a tiny mental speed bump: Something about this feels weird. And “this feels weird” probably isn’t the emotional response you were hoping your marketing would create. Often, that split second odd feeling makes them scroll right on by.

This matters even more for small businesses because one of our greatest marketing advantages is that there are actual humans behind our businesses. Why would we hide the very thing that makes us relatable?

Cheap to Make Can Sometimes Look Cheap

Here’s the other part of the conversation that businesses need to consider: brand perception.

You may have used AI because it was fast, convenient and inexpensive. Unfortunately, sometimes the final product looks fast, convenient and inexpensive too.

When someone is considering hiring you, buying from you or trusting you with their money, they’re constantly picking up subconscious signals about your business. Do you pay attention to details? Do you care about quality? Do you have a distinct personality? Does your business feel established and trustworthy? Does it look like you invest time and care into what you do?

A generic AI graphic can unintentionally communicate, “We needed something to post, so we generated something in 30 seconds.” That’s especially problematic if you’re positioning yourself as a premium brand. If you’re asking someone to invest serious money in your product or service, your marketing should visually communicate that same level of care.

So Should We Stop Using AI?

NOPE.

This is where I think the conversation around AI and creativity sometimes goes completely off the rails. We make it an either/or decision when it doesn’t need to be. You don’t have to choose between embracing AI and embracing human creativity.

The better question isn’t, “Should I use AI?” It’s “Where should AI fit into my creative process?”

And THAT is where AI gets exciting.

Use AI to brainstorm concepts, explore visual directions, develop campaign themes, generate mood board ideas, experiment with messaging or work through a creative block. Ask it for ten ideas. Ask for ten more. Ask for something completely ridiculous just to get your brain moving in a different direction.

Let AI help you get from “I have no freaking idea what to make” to “OH! THAT could be cool.”

Then take over.

AI → Human Brain → Canva

Once you have the concept, move into a tool like Canva or, when the project calls for it, hand the idea to an actual graphic designer. Take the AI-generated idea and use human creativity to decide what it should actually become.

This is where our brains get to do all the weird little things that make creativity so powerful. We break a design rule because it looks better. We choose a photo because someone’s expression feels genuine. We move something three pixels because we just know. We add an inside joke, use a real customer, feature an actual employee or show the messy office, real product, imperfect moment and personality that make a company different from every other business online.

AI is incredibly good at recognizing and recreating patterns and aesthetics. Humans bring context, judgment, experiences, humor, emotion and meaning to those ideas.

AI can help create the starting point. Human creativity makes it yours.

Your Humanity Is Becoming More Valuable, Not Less

We’re entering a world where creating more content has never been easier. Anyone can generate a graphic, caption, video concept or campaign idea in seconds. That means simply creating content isn’t particularly impressive anymore.

What becomes more valuable in that environment is creating something that feels original, thoughtful and unmistakably you.

Your quirks matter. Your humor matters. Your experiences matter. Your employees and customers matter. Your weird creative idea that technically breaks three design rules but somehow works matters. Those are things that make people recognize your brand, remember it and hopefully feel something when they encounter it.

So yes, use AI. Brainstorm with it. Play with it. Let it help you get unstuck and speed up parts of the creative process.

Just don’t automatically make its first draft your final cut.

Take the idea into Canva. Give it to your graphic designer. Add your photos, your people, your personality and your perspective. Put a human brain between the prompt and the publish button.

Because AI can help you make something.

But humans make things mean something.

And in marketing, that wins every time.

Sparkle Responsibly.