In 2025, artificial intelligence is no longer used sparingly. It is evident in our day-to-day lives, and you may not even notice because of its drastic improvements. While it is somewhat fascinating to see this type of technology unfold, a sense of unease is raised when considering how much people truly rely on it, especially in the job market. Many employers even use AI to review resumes by scanning for keywords, creating a quick, efficient way to evaluate candidates. While effective, a large amount of judgment is removed in the employer’s process.
When diving deeper into who’s affected by AI, the world of the creatives, including content creators, artists, musicians, and actors, is experiencing the same problem. AI can be a valuable tool for generating ideas, gaining a fresh perspective, or getting a second set of eyes on a project. However, the problem arises when it replaces critical thinking and fundamental skills entirely.
Content Creators
AI has been heavily utilized in the world of social media, driving trends, and creating entirely AI-generated content. With nearly every scroll on TikTok, the chances of encountering AI-generated videos are increasing by the day. One example is the viral trend of placing content creator Jake Paul in countless AI-generated scenarios, resulting in thousands of videos. Trends such as this blur the line between what is real and what is fabricated, highlighting just how advanced and pervasive this new technology has become.
So, what does AI mean for content creators? On the brighter side, as mentioned previously, AI is a great way to generate ideas when inspiration runs dry. For creators seeking to produce unique content, AI can help brainstorm new concepts and explore creative directions. It can act as an innovative partner, helping content creators work faster and think bigger without replacing their original vision.
However, the use of advanced AI technology in social media raises concerns about originality and ethics. Relying too heavily on AI can foster a sense of inauthenticity, potentially eroding trust between creators and their audiences. Copyright and ethical concerns also arise as AI draws from preexisting works on the internet, again highlighting why heavily relying on AI is not beneficial.
With the internet already oversaturated with AI, original content from authentic creators risks being overshadowed. This makes it harder for them to stand out amid the flood of easily created, AI-generated content mass-produced on social platforms.
Artists
For centuries, art has been a form of expression that showcases creativity and original ideas. When AI comes into play, however, it can sometimes undermine originality, robbing it of its humanity and personal touches. Like most areas of AI, there are both positive and negative effects.
There are several benefits for artists when AI is introduced, particularly in speeding up workflows and reducing costs and waste. AI can reduce the time spent on early concept work, such as sketching ideas, developing compositions, and testing color palettes. A handful of technological tools have emerged that greatly support artists throughout their creative processes. Examples of AI-powered programs include Adobe Firefly, Procreate Dreams, and Blender. These tools enable artists to test techniques, experiment with materials before committing, and even plan or create an entire project.
Again, AI is ultimately a tool shaped by the user, but overreliance on it can lead to a loss of originality and decrease the personal touch in an artist’s work. What makes a piece of art truly special is the creator’s emotion, personality, and unique story. When AI takes over, that personal touch becomes noticeably diminished.
AI carries the risk of taking over the creative process rather than simply assisting it. In 2022, artist Jason M. Allen entered the Colorado State Fair with a piece called Théâtre D’Opéra Spatial. The majority of the work was generated with the AI tool Midjourney, which sparked controversy despite the piece winning first place. Many in the art community argued that a first-place prize was undeserved for a work primarily created by AI rather than human effort.
Musicians
Notably, this year, AI is transforming the music world more than ever, serving as both a tool and a creative partner in the studio. Musicians can utilize AI to generate melodies, chords, lyrics, and other musical elements, helping reduce costs such as studio fees and overcoming creative blocks. However, the rise in AI usage brings new challenges for artists.
There have been numerous instances, especially on the social media platform TikTok, of users creating AI-generated songs that mimic an artist’s voice and claiming them to be unreleased tracks. Fans often fall for these fakes. One of the most notable examples is an AI-generated song purportedly by Harry Styles, called “Pick You Up,” whose voice is so convincingly similar to his own that many listeners believed it was real for years.
Another example is the rise of songs created entirely by AI-generated voices that go viral on social media. One notable case is the TikTok audio “Predador de Perereca,” which has been used in over 2.1 million videos on the platform, despite being entirely AI-generated.
Since AI-generated programs make it easy for anyone to create songs, the media is becoming oversaturated with AI-made music, which can overshadow the hard work and creativity of real artists.
Actors
AI can be a useful tool in the film industry, enabling effects and digital enhancements that would be difficult or impossible to achieve otherwise. For example, AI can recreate an actor’s voice for lines that were not recorded or generate digital characters that cannot physically appear on set. It can also assist with dubbing films into different languages, de-aging, and creating CGI characters. A notable example is the Netflix series Stranger Things, which used AI-assisted technology to de-age the character Eleven for scenes set in her younger years.
However, recent examples show that AI is at risk of replacing human actors in certain roles. Tilly Norwood, a fully computer-generated “actress,” is reportedly set to appear in films next year, sparking controversy. SAG-AFTRA stated in Hollywood Reporter, “It has no life experience to draw from, no emotion, and, from what we’ve seen, audiences aren’t interested in watching computer-generated content untethered from the human experience.” This situation highlights a potential threat to real actors, raising concerns about the value of human performance in the film industry.
AI is transforming the creative world across multiple areas, including visual art, music, and acting. While these tools can play a valuable role in inspiration, brainstorming, and efficient content generation, they also bring significant risks. These include loss of originality, potential replacement of human roles, copyright issues, and oversaturation of AI-generated content on platforms. However, AI does not have to be harmful, as long as it is used to enhance creativity rather than replace fundamental human skills and artistic expression.