Let's talk about AI

AI, is it the enemy we all claim it to be. Are we over exaggerating it's power and influence. Here is my take on the whole AI thing and why I am bringing it up. A couple months ago I had a follower on one of my Social media platforms voice his dislike for an AI ad I had used "Grok" to help create. It was an amp ad for a friend who builds and relic's Fender type amps. He makes them look and sound like the old 50's and 60's amps. And makes them look well used and does a fantastic job. I used AI to help me design the ad to look like it was from the 50's. Then a follower on a different platform a few weeks later voiced his hatred for another ad I had done for the same builder.

Which brings me to my point. I never used AI till that time period around the first ad. I never thought much about it, till I met a few pedal builders who use it all the time to create ads and sales points. Then I started paying attention to all the ads and photos across all platforms and I would guess 85-95% of all ads or content to show off a product was made using AI. I realized I could use AI to create what I wanted in minutes, where as a photographer. Even using the latest software. It could take days, weeks and even months to create the same image.

With that said, I would never create artwork and try to sell it off as true art. That is pushing the envelope. Just like I would never use it to write music and try to sell as my own. There are some lines I would never cross. But to compare trying to use Adobe or others, and still have to have taken great photos of things you can not find in your area. And work tirelessly for days to make a one page flyer advertising a Pedal, guitar or amp. It just isn't worth the time.

My feeling is, as long as you are not trying to sell the creation as your own personal work for profit. I really do not see where the issue lies. This of curse, is just my personal opinion. It doesn't mean anything. But wanted to put my point out there.

Now, lets see how this looks after using AI to polish it. I copy and pasted my write up into Grok and asked it to give me a polished version. Below is what it gave me.

AI: Is It Really the Enemy We Make It Out to Be?

Artificial intelligence seems to be one of the most divisive topics today. Some people believe it's the future, while others see it as a threat to creativity and human talent. But are we overestimating its power and influence?

Here's why I've been thinking about it.

A couple of months ago, I used Grok AI to help create an advertisement for a friend who builds and relics Fender-style amplifiers. His work is incredible—he recreates the look, feel, and tone of vintage amplifiers from the 1950s and 1960s, making them appear as though they've spent decades on stages and in studios.

I wanted the advertisement to match that vintage aesthetic, so I used AI to help design a flyer that looked like it could have come straight out of the 1950s. Shortly after posting it, one of my followers commented on how much they disliked that I had used AI. A few weeks later, after creating another advertisement for the same builder, someone on a different platform expressed the same opinion.

That got me thinking.

Before those ads, I had never really used AI. It wasn't something I paid much attention to until I met several boutique pedal builders who use it regularly for advertising, product promotions, and marketing materials. Once I started looking more closely, I noticed AI-generated images and graphics everywhere. Across social media, websites, and online stores, I would estimate that 85–95% of promotional images are now created or enhanced using AI in some way.

Then I realized something.

Using AI, I could create the image I had in mind in a matter of minutes. A professional photographer or graphic designer—even with the latest software—might spend days, weeks, or even months photographing, editing, compositing, and perfecting that same concept. If the background, location, or props don't exist nearby, the project becomes even more time-consuming and expensive.

Does that make AI wrong?

Personally, I don't think so.

Now, there are lines I would never cross. I would never generate artwork with AI and try to pass it off as hand-created art. I wouldn't use AI to write music and then claim it was entirely my own composition. Those situations raise ethical questions that deserve serious discussion.

But creating a marketing flyer or promotional image is different in my eyes.

Even with programs like Adobe Photoshop, you still need access to the right photographs, locations, lighting, and countless hours of editing. For someone creating content independently, spending days designing a single advertisement for a guitar pedal, amplifier, or guitar simply isn't practical.

To me, AI is another tool—much like Photoshop was when it first appeared. It can help creators bring an idea to life more efficiently. The creativity still begins with the person who imagines the concept, chooses the direction, and decides what the final result should communicate.

As long as someone isn't trying to deceive others by selling AI-generated work as handcrafted art or claiming AI-created music as their own original performance, I don't personally see a problem with using it as a creative aid.

Of course, that's just my opinion.

I don't expect everyone to agree, and that's perfectly okay. Healthy discussions about technology are important, especially as AI continues to become a bigger part of our everyday lives.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Where do you think the line should be drawn? Is AI simply another creative tool, or do you believe it's changing creativity in ways we should be concerned about?

My own photography edited with Adobe PS.