Staying creative in an AI-dominated world

Creativity is deeply tied to our sense of selfworth and emotional well-being. Mint explores ways to stay inspired at a time when AI is the norm

- Divya Naik

Any Pantojee, 36, a Mumbai-based creative designer, remembers the first time AI threatened his sense of creative worth. A client had approached him with a branding project—something that would usually involve hours of brainstorming, sketching, and refining ideas. But this time, the client had already generated a dozen AI-created logos in seconds. "Can you just tweak one of these?" the client had asked, almost as an afterthought. Pantojee was stunned. Was this what creativity had come to? Years of honing his craft, studying typography, color psychology, and branding strategy—was it all being reduced to clicking a few buttons on an AI-powered platform? "At that moment, I felt like my work, my originality, was disposable," he recalls. "If a machine could do in seconds what took me years to master, what was left for me?"

This existential crisis isn't unique to Pantojee. Across creative fields, professionals are questioning their relevance in a world where AI-generated content is rapidly becoming the norm. Beyond career anxieties, this shift is affecting something deeper—self-worth, mental well-being, and the very essence of personal expression.

IS CREATIVITY REPLACEABLE?

Creativity isn't just about producing aesthetically pleasing work; it's an emotional and intellectual process that fosters self-expression, self-discovery, and resilience. When people start feeling that their creative contributions are replaceable, it can lead to self-doubt, anxiety, and even depression. "AI-generated content creates an illusion of flawlessness and efficiency," points out therapist Aditi Kumar, a Delhi-based counselling psychologist who works with creative professionals. "For creatives who are used to pouring time and effort into their work, this shift can trigger imposter syndrome. The constant questioning—'Am I good enough?'—becomes a mental strain."