People are saying that artificial intelligence will take over the world in the coming generations. That AI will replace our jobs, our skills, even our thinking patterns — and blah, blah, blah.

But pause for a second. Have you ever asked yourself, is AI creative?

Yes, AI is a product of creativity — created by one of us. But the real question is: Is AI itself creative? You might say yes, but no, it’s not up to the mark. Because there’s only one truly creative creature that exists in this world — you, the human being.

We humans were born with creativity. It’s not something we downloaded or programmed — it’s a gift that naturally lives within us. So if you’re using AI to do your entire work, you’re not being efficient — you’re actually underestimating yourself. You’re handing over your place to a machine that doesn’t even feel what you do.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t use AI. Of course, use it — but use it for the right reasons. Use AI for research, for structuring ideas, for understanding concepts. But if your job has something to do with creativity — then that work belongs only to you.

Because let’s be real — AI can never dream, feel, or experience the way you do. It can only mirror the data that already exists.

When AI Becomes Your Starting Point

Let’s talk about what most of us are doing today. You get a new idea. Something sparks your interest. You’re excited to work on it. But what’s the very first thing you do?

You unlock your phone. You open ChatGPT or Gemini. And you start typing your prompt.

Now think — do you really think this is the right way to start? Before even letting your own thoughts breathe, you’re already feeding them into a machine. You’re giving away your raw idea — your most original spark — to something that will instantly generate three or four “suggestions” for you.

And here’s the trick: before you even realize it, your mind drops your original idea and picks up one of those AI suggestions. So what happened there? Where did your creativity go?

You just replaced your voice with the assistant’s voice — and you thought that was progress. But it’s not. It’s just you moving with the assistant instead of moving with yourself. You’re not being creative anymore — you’re just getting used to a machine that’s designed to look more creative than you.

A Better Way to Work: Two Workstations

Here’s what I suggest — create two different workstations in your life:

An Analogue Station

A Digital Station

When you sit in your analog station, keep all gadgets away. Just you, a notebook, a pen, and your thoughts.

In this space, be creative. Let your imagination go wild. Write, doodle, think, daydream — do whatever helps you express.

At first, your brain might make you feel dumb. It’ll whisper, “Why not open Gemini or ChatGPT? You’ll get ideas faster.” But don’t give up. Just sit there. Your mind will slowly tune into your desire, and you’ll start finding ideas that actually belong to you.

Now when you feel exhausted, shift to your digital station. Here, be a scientist. Use AI to research. Ask questions. Clear doubts. Gather insights.

Then, come back to your analog station again. With that new understanding, you’ll write even better — because now your creativity is backed by knowledge, not replaced by it.

This back-and-forth approach not only makes your work stronger but also keeps you in control. You’re not fighting AI — you’re working with it, wisely.

(Thanks to Austin Kleon for sharing this wonderful approach with us to be creative in his book “Steal Like an Artist.”)

The Creativity Graph

Let’s visualize something here. I’ll be drawing a simple graph — a graph of Time vs. Creativity.

In my case, if you look at the graph, you’ll see something interesting. At the end of 2023, I started using ChatGPT and Gemini for my writing. I was curious and excited — these assistants felt like companions who could understand my thoughts. I used them for everything.

At first, my creativity seemed to rise. I was learning faster, writing faster, creating faster. But after a while, I started feeling… empty. Exhausted. I couldn’t write the way I used to. The more I relied on AI, the less I connected with my own ideas.

My graph, over time, started going down. And that’s when I realized: AI isn’t the problem — overdependence is.

It’s perfectly okay to use AI — but only to some extent. I like to call it the 90–10 rule:

90% of your work should come from you

10% can come from your assistant

Because the piece you put out into the world should carry your voice, your thoughts, and your originality.

Why You Should Be the Best in What You Do

See, AI will keep improving. Creative people will continue building it to make it more “creative.” But remember — AI will always perform better only if you are your best.

So instead of competing with AI, focus on being the best version of you. The more you grow, the more AI becomes your support system, not your competition.

Because at the end of the day, AI can only be in a better position when you are the one leading.

So, stop underestimating yourself. Stop using AI to fill every blank space in your head. Stop letting those ready-made prompts decide your creative path.

Ask yourself, do you really want to hand over your creative freedom?

Be the one who creates. Let AI assist, not replace.

And remember, being creative is not just a skill — it’s a blessing. It’s the one thing that makes humans human. We feel, we imagine, we connect — things no machine can ever truly do.

The Final Question

So before you end your next project, pause for a second and ask yourself:

Do you really feel happy about the piece you just worked on?

Does it contain you — at least 70% of you?

Does it carry your voice and your ideas?

Because if it doesn’t, then maybe it’s time to go back to your analog station. To your thoughts. To you.

Remember — the word creative suits humans, not the machines created by humans again.

So, work for yourself. And don’t ever dare to think that AI can replace you.

Because no one — and nothing — can ever do your work the way you can.

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