The Shifting Goalposts of Human Creativity

Ever notice how we keep changing what "creativity" means?

It's like we're playing this game where as soon as a machine can do something, we say "well, that wasn't REAL creativity anyway."

The camera shows up, and suddenly painting realistic landscapes isn't as impressive anymore.

GarageBand drops, and now "real musicians" need to do more than just arrange notes.

And now AI is words, images, and videos that are pretty damn good, and we're all freaking out about what "creativity" means.

This isn't new. It's the same old dance.

When technology masters something we thought was special, we move the goalposts. It's human nature.

So what's left? What can humans do that AI can't (yet)?

Chaos AI can't fake

AI can fake emotions, but it can't FEEL them.

It hasn't been dumped by a girlfriend.

It hasn't held its dying pet.

It hasn't felt that weird mix of pride and terror when you begin something new.

AI is missing the messy shit that makes us human:

• Raw emotional chaos: AI follows patterns. Humans follow weird gut feelings that we call intuition (sometimes leading to brilliance).
• Moral judgment: AI can mimic ethics, but it doesn't wake up at 3 AM questioning if it made the right decision.
• Fear and vulnerability: AI doesn't get stage fright before hitting publish. It doesn't worry about looking stupid. And weirdly, that fear pushes us to create our best work.

When AI steals the canvas, humans reclaim the stage

The game is changing. The new frontier of creativity might look like:

1. Getting physical: Live performances, tactile art, things that emphasize human presence and imperfection.
2. Creating experiences: Instead of just content, focus on orchestrating real-world moments that AI can't replicate.
3. Going deeper emotionally: The more vulnerable and personal your work, the harder it is for AI to fake.

This isn't just about competing with AI.

Think of AI as a weird creative partner that never sleeps and has read everything ever written.

• Use it to generate raw material, then apply your human filter
• Let it handle the boring parts while you focus on the uniquely human touches
• Use it to explore directions you wouldn't have considered

My friend who's a designer told me: "I used to spend 70% of my time on technical execution and 30% on creative direction. Now AI flipped that ratio, and my work is better for it."

Your weirdness is the moat

1. Double down on your weirdness

What makes you YOU? Your specific life experiences, your strange obsessions, your unique perspective – lean into that shit.

2. Show your messy process

The journey matters. Document your false starts and breakthroughs. That human struggle is something AI can't replicate.

3. Get vulnerable

The deeper you go into your own truth, the more distinctly human your work becomes.

4. Experiment with AI collaboration

Don't fear it. Use it as a tool. See what happens when you combine AI's computational power with your human judgment.

The definition of creativity will keep shifting as AI capabilities grow.

What remains uniquely human: our consciousness, our emotional complexity, and our moral reasoning is the creative frontier.

In a world flooded with AI-generated content, the most compelling work is the most honest and human.

The stuff that makes you laugh, cry, or feel seen.

The stuff that feels like it came from a person who's been through some shit.

The stuff that reminds us we're not alone in experiencing the things that make up this weird human condition.

That's the thing AI can't do.

At least not yet.