As I create Substack articles my first step is to read some Nick Hornby, he seems to engage me and helps me get into a narrative frame of mind. This is key, getting into character opens different thoughts and if you have ever worked with me you know I talk about "hats" often. So to get into my writing persona I have my manifesto below, which I read, embrace and begin writing.

AI's Creative Revolution:

Lessons from Photography's Past

When photography emerged in the 19th century, painters faced an existential threat. The camera could capture reality with unprecedented precision, seemingly rendering painting obsolete. Yet rather than destroying art, photography liberated it.

Artists embraced new directions—impressionism, expressionism, cubism—focusing on interpretation rather than representation. The camera didn't replace painters; it redefined their purpose and expanded artistic possibilities. Today, we stand at a similar crossroads with artificial intelligence. Like the camera before it, AI excels at certain tasks previously reserved for human creativity. And just as with photography, our response determines whether AI becomes a threat or catalyst for human innovation.

Those who view AI with fear see only replacement. Those who approach it with curiosity discover a powerful collaborative tool that can amplify human creativity, not diminish it. When we embrace AI as a creative partner rather than competitor, we unlock new forms of expression previously unimaginable.

However, technology is neutral—its impact depends entirely on who wields it and how. The early photographers who documented war atrocities used the same technology as those capturing family portraits. The difference wasn't in the tool but its application.

Similarly, AI needs thoughtful, ethical humans guiding its development and application. If good people avoid this technology, they cede its enormous power to those with potentially harmful intentions.

The artists who thrived after photography's invention weren't those who fought against it but those who reimagined their role alongside it. Today's creative pioneers will likewise be those who partner with AI, shaping its development toward human flourishing rather than harm.