Each week we hear more stories of Artificial Intelligence encroaching on our lives, sometimes for good, though usually not - how it is unregulated, unchecked and increasingly threatening livelihoods.
In the past few days though I've been encouraged by people seeking to counter the negative impact of AI.
A little while ago I interviewed a Suffolk artist, Charlotte Day for a magazine called 'Pressing Matters'. Charlotte works as a freelance illustrator for books and brands and found that the use of computers for this task was now so pervasive she needed other means for her creative expression. So she took up printmaking, taking hours to create intricate etchings of botanical images.
She said of her work: 'Handmade art offers something that technology cannot replace - people want the personal connection and unique imagination of the artist...People respond differently to work that carries a sense of craftmanship and human effort. There will always be space for work that celebrates the maker's touch.' You can read my article here.
And a brand strategy agency, Sonder & Tell, has said that in the turmoil of the world at the moment, there is 'space for different voices to emerge. While tech bros yell louder and AI churns out bland corporate soup, brands have an opportunity to show up differently. To be the voices of calm in the storm, of brutal honesty in the sea of nonsense, of genuine connection in our increasingly artificial world.'
I've found it helpful to see how people are responding positively, rather than getting bogged down with the negativity. I hope we all see more examples of real life interactions and creativity this week!
Thank you for reading.