Every time we let AI “create” something, we give up a piece of what makes our work uniquely ours. Are we willing to hand over our creativity to algorithms trained to mimic? In my view, generative AI doesn’t belong in creative software, and here’s why.

1 It Hinders Authentic Human Creativity

When we lean on AI to generate art, music, or even written content, we stifle genuine human expression. Creativity is more than just combining shapes, colors, or words nicely; it’s about translating a feeling, a perspective, or an experience into something new. With AI doing the heavy lifting, we miss out on that deeply personal aspect of creation. It’s like letting a machine fill in a coloring book for us—quick, maybe, but totally void of our unique touch.

Plus, when we rely on AI for creative ideas, we risk forgetting how to tap into our own. The best ideas often come from trial and error, wrestling with a blank page or canvas until something clicks. But with AI handing us ready-made concepts, we lose that struggle—the very thing that drives authentic, original creativity forward.

Just look at traditional sketching versus AI art generation. An artist might spend hours experimenting with different line weights and shading techniques, learning from each stroke, while AI users might generate dozens of variations without developing any actual drawing skills.

2 AI Makes Everything Look Boringly Similar

One of the biggest issues with generative AI is that it tends to produce results that, while technically impressive, lack diversity and nuance. AI models are trained on vast datasets of existing work, so they typically just replicate existing patterns and styles. The result? A sea of content that all feels like variations on a theme—polished but repetitive.

For instance, compare the results of AI art generators, and you’ll spot the telltale signs: identical dreamy lighting, similar facial features in portraits, and that characteristic soft-focus background.

When we bring AI into creative apps, we’re basically inviting sameness into spaces meant for originality. Art, design, and writing thrive on individual flair and unexpected twists that only human minds can bring to the table. But with AI generating more and more of what we see and consume, there’s a real risk that our creative world could flatten out, becoming a repetitive echo of what’s been done before.

3 It Devalues Human Creative Skills

With AI tools readily available to handle creative tasks, there’s a risk that human skills will be taken for granted or even dismissed. The ability to design, write, or illustrate used to require years of practice, feedback, and refinement. Now, anyone can generate something that looks like professional work in seconds with the right AI tool.

This devaluation of skill can have real consequences. Take, for instance, the recent debate over AI-assisted tools in the design industry. Graphic designers have voiced concerns that AI tools like Canva’s AI-generated designs and Adobe’s Generative Fill feature are leading clients to underestimate the value of skilled designers.

After all, if a computer can produce a logo or edit an image with a few clicks, why pay for expertise? This mindset undermines the effort and mastery that professionals bring to their craft and can make it challenging for skilled artists to gain recognition for their work.

4 It Robs Us of Real Skill Development

Creative skills don’t just appear overnight; they take years of practice, experimentation, and feedback to develop. But when AI is available to do the “hard parts,” it’s tempting to skip the learning curve and let the algorithm handle it. The problem? We end up missing out on truly developing our own skills.

Creating art, music, writing, or design isn’t just about producing a finished piece—it’s about learning techniques, adapting styles, and finding our voice through trial and error. Relying on AI as a shortcut not only undermines this process but also risks creating a generation of creators who haven’t had the chance to truly explore their potential. We lose the ability to experiment, to learn from our mistakes, and to grow.

5 Potential for Misuse and Plagiarism

Generative AI can also make unethical practices, like plagiarism, more tempting. AI models trained on massive datasets of existing works often produce content that closely resembles these originals, leading to concerns about unintentional or intentional plagiarism.

Artists have raised alarms over AI tools replicating distinctive styles, making it all too easy for users to pass off AI-generated content as their own or even closely mimic the work of well-known artists.

In fact, the backlash from artists has been so intense that platforms like ArtStation and DeviantArt have had to update their policies to give creators the option to opt out of having their work used in AI training datasets. This move speaks volumes about the risks of AI-driven plagiarism, where people can essentially copy a creator’s hard-earned style without acknowledgment or credit.

This misuse doesn’t just hurt individual creators; it damages the creative community as a whole. Original works can be devalued when near-identical copies circulate freely.

6 It Endangers Creative Heritage

Our creative heritage—art, music, literature, and other forms of cultural expression—represents the unique histories, experiences, and values of diverse communities. When we turn to AI to create new works, we risk losing this richness.

AI models are trained on existing datasets, which often reflect a narrow, mainstream view of culture and creativity, usually dominated by Western perspectives. Cultures that are less represented in these datasets risk being excluded or misrepresented by AI-driven creations.

Over time, if generative AI continues to play a larger role in creative production, these underrepresented cultures may find their heritage overlooked or homogenized by the biases inherent in AI training data. The result is a creative world that feels increasingly mechanical, generic, and unreflective of true cultural diversity.

While generative AI holds undeniable potential for efficiency and convenience, it might be doing more harm than good in creative apps and software. Creativity is a deeply human endeavor—one that thrives on emotion, experience, and individuality. It’s important that we keep the heart of human creativity and resist the urge to let machines take the reins.