The Expertise Gap: Why AI Doesn’t Replace Human Creativity
And Why Business Leaders Keep Getting It Wrong
A guest post/repost of a thread by fadeinpro.com (posted with permission):
Been thinking about the psychology behind "business leaders" pushing for "AI" in creative usage. Part of it comes down to the nature of the job: obviously they think what they do is super-important, and what they do is essentially telling other people what to do and having it happen.
But here's the problem. When you pay a writer to write something, for instance, you are not paying them to generate words on a page. You are paying them for the thought and creativity and understanding behind those words. For their effectiveness in accomplishing whatever the ultimate purpose is.
You need a logo for your hair salon? Fine, ask "AI" to generate one, I guess, and you'll get your business name and a pair of scissors in a logo that looks just like a bunch of others. In fact it's probably exactly like a bunch of others, since that's where it was stolen from in the first place.
But the thing is, that business leader should also understand that there is an expertise behind the work being done. When commissioning art, whether a logo or something else, they should be aware that intention and execution matter hugely in terms of effectiveness.
If you are the editor of a news site, you can use "AI" to fill content more quickly. Sure it may be badly written and rife with errors large or small, and no joy whatsoever to read, but at least you got those words on there.
The unimaginative business leader will not understand that there is a huge difference. We have an image. We have an article. We have a customer service "agent" that people hate. So what's the problem? I asked for the thing to get done and it got done so now on to the making money part.
From the unimaginative business leader's point of view, they've done their job (the most important job, in their eyes, deserving of the highest compensation). And if they lack the understanding or discernment to properly appraise the result, then they may even think it's been done well.
Everyone thinks they're literate, right? Everyone thinks they have taste. Certainly every "business leader" does. If they can't tell the difference between something "AI" has generated and something a capable, talented writer or artist has made, then in their untrained view there is no difference.
(The same thing applies whenever anyone proudly posts some piece of shit "AI"-generated "film". They are amazed that they have "created" this thing, like a toddler putting a doodle on the fridge, with no understanding of any of the underlying quality — or lack thereof.)
(This isn't necessarily new, of course, and is the reason so many YouTube/etc. videos are unwatchable. Just because you have a camera and can make a video doesn't mean you should, if you have no sense of getting information across visually through staging, angle, editing, pacing, etc.)
Anyway, the point is if you don't understand that intention and a deep understanding of the medium are essential to creation in it, you'll end up with garbage, ineffective work and you're not even going to know it. You'll have gutted the core value of whatever you're doing without even being aware.
If you need creative work done, pay a talented creative person to do it. Otherwise don't be baffled when the work does not have the effectiveness you want it to. Don't be surprised when it actually hurts the bottom line.
© Copyright May 27, 2026, fadeinpro.com, all rights reserved
David August is an award-winning actor, acting coach, writer, director, and producer. He plays a role in the movie Dependent’s Day, and after its theatrical run, it’s now out on Amazon (affiliate link). He has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC, on the TV show Ghost Town, and many others. His artwork has been used and featured by multiple writers, filmmakers, theatre practitioners, and others to express visually. Off-screen, he has worked at ad agencies, start-ups, production companies, and major studios, helping them tell stories their customers and clients adore. He has guest lectured at USC’s Marshall School of Business about the Internet.
