I have had this old song stuck in my head lately — “Video killed the radio star.” Catchy. Nostalgic. And in hindsight… a little dramatic…because, let’s be real — radio didn’t die. It just evolved. It adapted. It found its new space in the world. But the fear back then was real. The feeling that something we loved, something familiar and human, would get wiped out by something newer, shinier, faster.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Now we are humming a new version of the same tune. Just swap “video” with AI, and “radio star” with... well, us - Designers. Writers. Musicians. Animators. Creatives.
People who have spent years — sometimes lifetimes — building their voice, their craft, their point of view. And yes, I have felt the unease too. Amazed and perturbed at the same time. Nowadays, it feels like it’s everywhere. And it’s evolving faster than anything we have seen. It's fascinating — and also a bit terrifying.
And I will be honest, I have tried it. Like many of us, I do dabble with AI platforms. Out of curiosity. Out of creative excitement. But most of all, out of the need to stay relevant in a world that’s shifting at lightning speed. Whatever we may say about the world changing trends regularly, this isn’t one of them – AI is not a passing trend. It’s a tectonic shift which is quickly changing the landscape of our society. And if I choose to stay oblivious to it, I know I risk getting left behind. Isn’t that a scary thing?
But here is the thing: there is a difference between using the tool and abusing it. I will experiment. I will learn. I do implement it in my work if it makes my work process smoother. But will I ever pass off someone else’s style, legacy, or soul as my own? That’s a hard no. That line stays uncrossed. Which is why the recent Ghibli-style AI episode raised so many questions. Was I one of the many who tried it? Yes- I am guilty as charged. But I didn’t have the heart to post that online. After thinking about it for long, I didn’t feel it was right. Was I amazed by the preciseness of the result? Ofcourse. But will I queue up to watch a movie knowing it was made entirely through prompts. I doubt. And I am someone who’s actually been a part of that world. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working as an artist on several 3D animated movies — including ones produced by Disney. I’ve spent countless days and nights cooped up inside a studio, working frame by frame, scene by scene, working alongside teams of passionate artists just to bring one moment of magic to life. I know firsthand the level of craft, obsession, and heart it takes to get there.
And I am not saying this, just as a creator — but Plus as someone who grew up being deeply moved by the work of Hayao Miyazaki and the magic of hand-drawn storytelling. To see that art — that deeply human, crafted-with-love work — reduced to a prompt and a style mimic… felt off. Hollow. Art isn’t just how it looks. It’s how it feels. It’s everything behind the scene: the hesitation before a brushstroke, the long nights, the frustration, the breakthroughs. It’s lived emotion, not just design. And no matter how advanced AI gets — it can’t feel, at least not at its present state. Ask any true art lover — they admire a piece because it holds something real. Something you can’t replicate with a prompt. There is a reason an original painting, feels more sacred than a flawless digital copy. It is the soul of it. The intent. The person behind it. The traditional brushstrokes speaks a thousand words than a copied pixel.
That’s also what makes things like deepfakes so dangerous. It’s not just about entertainment or trickery — it’s about trust. When you can recreate someone’s face, voice, or style at the click of a button, where does authorship end and deception begin? It’s a reminder that just because we can do something, doesn’t mean we should. We are stepping into territory where identity and originality are up for grabs — and that’s not something to take lightly.

At the same time — let’s not be naive. AI is powerful. It is here, and it’s only getting better. And in the world I work in — animation, design, storytelling — we have seen this story play out before. Software that once took days to render now does it in hours. Simulations that took weeks can now be done in few hours now. Processes that were once manual are now seamless. AI is the next big upgrade. Only this time, it’s a giant leap, not just version 4.5.
So maybe the question isn’t: “Should we use it?” It’s: “How do we use it without losing ourselves in the process?” And let’s not forget — there’s a cost beyond creativity. Running these powerful models takes enormous amounts of electricity and water. Data centres aren’t exactly green.

So while we marvel at what AI can do, we also have to ask: at what price? Where does that leave us? Probably somewhere in between. Somewhere between curiosity and caution. Between excitement and responsibility. We can’t stop the world from changing. But we can decide how we move with it. For me, it’s about embracing AI — but not blindly. Using it — but not losing myself in it. Staying open — but staying rooted in what makes my work meaningful in the first place. That is because if we get it right, AI won’t kill creativity. It might actually help us push it further — without dimming its soul.
This isn’t a rant. It’s not a love letter to AI either. It is just me thinking aloud — about what it means to be a creative in this moment of change. Will I stop using AI after writing this? Honestly, no. And I’d be lying if I said I would. That is because the truth is, I can’t afford to ignore it. None of us really can. I will keep exploring it. I will keep learning. But I’ll also keep questioning. For me, it’s about finding that delicate balance — between staying relevant and staying responsible. Between curiosity and conscience. Between speed and soul. Because using the tool isn’t the problem — it’s how we use it that will define us.

Before I wrap this up, I want to share something I created recently.

An Ode to Letter

It is a short film that I created using AI. I had this concept in my head for some time now. The only traditional thing involved is the voiceover script that I wrote. Once the script was in place, I started generating visuals as per the thought. I had a clear view of what my visuals should be , so I kept tweaking, experimenting and refining the prompts until I got images that (mostly) captured what I had in mind. Not all of them were perfect. Some were not achieved and hence had to be changed to fit the narrative. But some came close enough to what I had in mind. I then animated those visuals using another AI platform. As for the voiceover, even that was AI-generated. This was not for a client or a real production. It was just a personal experiment. A pet project. Something I worked on during a string of sleepless nights — just to explore and learn. And I will admit it that I was amazed by the output. The possibilities. The speed. The potential. But even with all that… there’s still something missing. Especially when it comes to human characters — the soul isn’t quite there. You feel the absence of a lived experience. The nuance. The imperfection. The emotion. The eyes. And the detailing… devil is in the details as they say. Right now, it lacks that. But…whatever I have seen in all the AI updates, stylised and animated creatives have a far better quality. And it also depends on how much you train your AI to give you the desired result. Having said that, if this had been an actual project, this AI-generated version would have been a solid groundwork before stepping into full-scale production. It would’ve saved time, clarified vision, and helped the creative team align.

So no — I am not against using AI. Clearly, I already have.

But I’ll always believe this:

Use it as a tool to push your creativity, not replace it. Let it build the frame — but make sure the soul of the story is still yours.
Because the tech will keep evolving. But what we bring to it — our intent, our voice, our heart — that’s still irreplaceable.

If you are navigating this shift too — curious, cautious, a little torn — I’d love to hear how you are thinking about it. Let’s keep this conversation honest, human, and open.