Ai in the creative space

Written By: Sabreena Rodgers

I don’t hate AI. But then again, I don’t generally hate things.

On a personal level, I believe AI can be an incredibly efficient research and support tool. If you’re trying to find resources, learn how to do something, or cut through hours of clickbait and ads just to get to an answer, AI can save a lot of time. That’s only true, though, when it’s being used as a tool—not a replacement for creativity.

I hear the chatter all the time about authors claiming to write books while letting AI do the entire job. I couldn’t do that. I’m sure some people do, but I can’t imagine a 90,000-word novel written completely by AI having the kind of flow that feels human. It would be missing the things that matter most: emotion, intuition, surprising twists, and that intangible feeling you get when a story really lands. If AI writes the book, then AI is the author. Period.

Now, the AI witch hunt in the art world? I understand why artists are upset. I’ve been a graphic designer of sorts since I was a kid. My mom was a graphic designer, and I learned by sitting in her shop after school and during the summers. I remember laughing when Canva first came out—and now I use it all the time. I bounce between Canva, Procreate, and Adobe products constantly. Canva is my go-to for quick cloud cloud-based content.

I’ve tried AI image generators, and honestly, they never create what my brain sees. I’ve used them once in a while to get a rough reference image so I don’t lose an idea before I can work it out myself. Were the images perfect? No. Were they still cool? Sure. Did I turn around and create the art myself anyway? Absolutely.

Because of all of this, I taught myself character art in Procreate. And despite literally posting time-lapse videos of my drawings, I’ve still been accused of using AI. It is what it is. As long as I know in my heart that my work is my own, I’m not worried.

Here’s where I draw a firm line:
Using AI to clean up a messy list of ideas into a clear outline? That’s understandable, I can see where it would help someone out.
Putting “write my book for me” into a prompt? That’s not. That’s letting AI create for you.

The uncomfortable truth is that AI is already integrated into everything. Every major software platform—including Photoshop—has AI built in. Writing platforms have it buried somewhere, even if it’s not obvious. Even AI detection tools are… AI.

I once watched a student ask AI to quiz them on a subject, and within minutes, they had a full flashcard system. I wish I’d had that in nursing school. But AI wasn’t going to sit for my boards—it still required me to actually learn the material. Today, some nursing programs are even teaching documentation with AI, which could mean more time with patients. But seasoned nurses know computers go down. When they do, you'd better know how to chart the old-fashioned way.

AI itself isn’t the problem. Humans—and how we use it—are.

It’s the path of least resistance, and if you rely on it too much, it can trap you in a hole you can’t climb out of. If you don’t know how to do the thing without AI, you’re setting yourself up for failure.

Do I think authors should use AI-generated book covers? No. If you can’t afford a designer, use the free version of Canva. Is it ideal? Not always. But creativity is supposed to be fun. Stop sucking the fun out of it.

But my biggest issue with AI has nothing to do with the technology itself—it’s the witch hunt culture around it. If you see a creator using AI and you don’t agree with it, don’t engage. There is zero reason to summon the self-appointed AI police and put someone through public humiliation because they used a tool to help them where they lacked resources.

If someone used AI because they couldn’t afford character art, editing, or design—and you have those skills—offer help instead of tearing them down. I try to help others whenever I can with the little skills I have.

For those of us raw-dogging the indie author world: it’s hard. Things pile up. Paying for every single service is impossible. I’m grateful I’ve been able to learn a lot on my own, because there are far more people ready to tear creators apart than there are people willing to lift them up. (Thankfully, my team is amazing, and I’m deeply grateful for them.)

Screaming about a problem without offering a solution helps no one. Hunting down suspected AI users just hurts people—especially when no alternative or support is offered.

That said, if you do help someone and they refuse to learn, improve, or take accountability? Then yeah—say something. Because part of being a creative is knowing how to accept criticism, grow, and respect the craft.

AI isn’t evil. Creativity isn’t dead. But how we treat each other in this space matters more than any tool ever will.

✨I do want to make a hard statement: All of my work is my own, I do not use Ai to write my books, and I stuggle through drawing to make my characters, and I use all my years of photography, graphic design, and editing to make my own covers. ✨