Is Gen AI Killing Creativity?

I’m a big fan of Henry Daubrez. Henry’s day job is working as the Global VP of Design & Creative Innovation at DEPT, but more importantly, he’s a proper artist who has been pushing the limits of what AI can do as a tool. Henry’s animated short Kitsune is truly a wonder. It’s an animated short that is warm, nostalgic, and full of heart, despite being created with AI tools. We caught up with Henry to ask about his process and to hear his opinion on the topic of AI tools putting pressure on artists and killing creativity.

Tell us about the films or animators that inspired you?

I grew up in front of Disney Classics, but I especially spent countless hours watching and rewatching the films from Don Bluth ( after he left Disney ). I think he had a knack for darker themes and more meaningful stories. I don’t compare my work on Kitsune to Don Bluth, but I wanted to see if using today’s tools, you could bring back some of that magic, even if full of flaws. Disney re-closed their 2D animation studios after Princess and the Frog because it wasn’t sustainable as a business. Some studios kept doing what they were already doing, but what I see today with GenAI gives me hope there might be a way for these precious aesthetics to come back in the future.

How do you think about using AI versus other tools?

Well, I am not an AI maximalist. I believe GenAI will in some capacity fully change entertainment and how we create, but I don’t think it is going to rip people from their skills. It’s not because you are given AI tools that you are suddenly a great creative...you’re just a person sitting on powerful tools with potentially awful taste and no vision. AI is just a tool.

Does this threaten animators, or is it their greatest companion?

GenAI is threatening to a lot of fields, and I can understand the worry. That said, you don’t become animator because you “had to”, you become an animator because it’s a passion, something you feel in your bones. If you watch Kitsune, there are two possible attitudes as an animator. The first is you discard it, and focus solely on the issues, saying a running cycle isn’t perfect or something else. The alternative is you can see the potential and think today’s results are the worse it will ever be. I’m not sure AI is an artist’s greatest companion, but I do think GenAI will be a companion to animators that can help them stay relevant and is just another tool in their toolbox. It’s all food for thought.

It is certainly an age old debate. Do advanced tools diminish the role of artists? Or do they provide just another way to realize their vision? I tend to believe that GenAI will cannibalize low quality work, but I don’t see GenAI replacing strong artistic talent in any field. Check out Kitsune and tell us what you think at aloha@csnpress.com!