How are people using AI for creative projects?

People use AI as a creative partner for brainstorming ideas, working through blocks, getting feedback, and exploring possibilities they might not have considered. AI doesn't replace creativity—it helps amplify it by offering starting points, different perspectives, and rapid iteration.

Generating ideas and overcoming creative blocks

When people get stuck creatively, AI helps them generate options to break through.

AI prompt: "I'm working on a short story but I'm stuck on the opening. The story is about a woman who discovers her grandmother was a spy during World War II. How could I start this in a way that's engaging but not cliché?"

AI suggests several opening approaches: start with the present-day discovery (finding an old photograph), begin with a flashback to a pivotal spy moment, open with the grandmother's funeral where something unexpected is revealed, or start with the protagonist researching something else and stumbling across the truth.

You're not taking AI's ideas verbatim, but seeing them might spark your own better idea or help you realize which direction feels right.

AI prompt: "I like the idea of discovering something at the funeral, but I don't want it to be a mysterious box or letter. What else could it be?"

AI suggests alternatives: an unexpected mourner who the family doesn't know, a contradictory obituary detail, a code word in the eulogy, or the grandmother's surprisingly specific burial instructions. You pick what resonates and develop it your own way.

Brainstorming and developing concepts

People use AI to explore different angles on creative projects.

AI prompt: "I want to start a YouTube channel about sustainable living, but that topic is super saturated. How can I approach it in a way that's not just repeating what everyone else does?"

AI suggests differentiation angles: focus on sustainable living in a specific context (urban apartment, rural homestead, traveling), target a specific audience (busy parents, college students on a budget, retirees), emphasize a unique aspect (no-buy challenges, DIY projects, cost savings), or blend sustainability with another interest (fashion, cooking, minimalism).

AI prompt: "The budget angle is interesting. What kind of content could I create around 'sustainable living on a tight budget'?"

AI brainstorms content ideas: comparing costs of sustainable vs. conventional options, DIY tutorials for making your own products, finding secondhand/free alternatives, prioritizing which sustainability changes save money versus cost more, and debunking expensive "eco" products.

You have a content direction that feels distinct, and you can start creating instead of endlessly debating what to make.

Getting feedback and improving work

People use AI to get quick feedback on creative work.

AI prompt: "I wrote this opening paragraph for my blog post about productivity. Does it grab attention or is it boring?"

You paste the paragraph. AI gives feedback: it starts with a relatable problem which is good, but the language is generic and could apply to any productivity article. AI suggests making it more specific or personal.

AI prompt: "Can you suggest a few different ways to rewrite the opening that feel more distinctive?"

AI shows variations with different hooks: a surprising statistic, a personal anecdote, a contrarian opinion, or a vivid scenario. You see different possibilities and can choose the approach that fits your voice.

Exploring different creative directions

People use AI to quickly test multiple concepts before committing significant time.

AI prompt: "I'm designing a logo for my freelance graphic design business. I want something that communicates creativity and professionalism but isn't generic. Can you suggest 5-7 different conceptual directions I could explore?"

AI suggests varied approaches: using negative space cleverly, incorporating design tools (pencil, ruler) in an unexpected way, playing with typography as the main element, using geometric shapes that form something meaningful, or creating an abstract mark that suggests movement or transformation.

You can sketch quick versions of each direction to see what works rather than getting too invested in one idea too early.

Developing characters, plots, or narratives

People use AI to develop creative writing elements more fully.

AI prompt: "I'm writing a character who's a retired teacher turned food blogger. She seems one-dimensional right now. Can you help me think through what makes her interesting and complex?"

AI asks questions that deepen the character: What made her retire—burnout, health, something else? Why food blogging specifically? What contradictions could exist (maybe she's a perfectionist about recipes but chaotic in other areas)? What does she want versus what she thinks she should want? What's her specific expertise or unusual angle?

AI prompt: "What if she retired after a scandal that wasn't actually her fault, but she took the blame to protect a student? How could that backstory affect her food blogging in interesting ways?"

AI helps you explore implications: maybe she's drawn to recipes that are about second chances or transformation, she might write about trust and authenticity, she could struggle with putting herself out there publicly again, or she might have strong opinions about food industry integrity.

You're developing the character through conversation, discovering details you wouldn't have planned from the start.

Planning and organizing creative projects

People use AI to structure large creative projects.

AI prompt: "I want to write a memoir about growing up in a military family. I have so many stories but I don't know how to organize them into a coherent book structure."

AI suggests organizational frameworks: chronological (childhood to present), thematic (chapters on different aspects like moving, school, friendships, identity), or structured around key moments that represent larger themes. AI explains the advantages of each approach.

AI prompt: "Thematic sounds right. What could the themes be for this kind of memoir?"

AI brainstorms themes: belonging nowhere and everywhere, constructing identity without geographic roots, resilience and adaptation, complicated patriotism, family dynamics under unusual stress, or what "home" means when you've never had one place.

You have a structure to start organizing your stories instead of staring at hundreds of pages of random memories.

Learning creative techniques

People use AI to understand creative techniques they want to try.

AI prompt: "I keep seeing photos with that blurry background effect where the subject is sharp. How do you do that and what camera settings do I need?"

AI explains depth of field, how aperture controls it (wide aperture = f/2.8 creates blur, narrow aperture = f/16 keeps everything sharp), and what factors affect it (focal length, distance to subject). AI suggests settings to start experimenting with.

AI prompt: "Can you give me a specific exercise to practice this technique?"

AI suggests: put an object 10 feet away, shoot it at f/2.8, f/5.6, f/11, and f/16 without changing anything else. Compare the photos to see how background blur changes. Then try varying your distance from the subject.

You learn by doing, with AI providing guidance when you need it.

Refining and editing creative work

People use AI to improve drafts while maintaining their own voice.

AI prompt: "I wrote this paragraph for my novel but it feels clunky. Can you help me identify what's not working?"

You paste it. AI points out specific issues: too many long sentences in a row, passive voice reducing tension, or vague descriptions where specific details would be stronger. AI doesn't rewrite it for you—just shows you what to address.

AI prompt: "How would I make these descriptions more specific without overwriting?"

AI explains the balance: choose one or two telling details instead of describing everything, use sensory details beyond just visual, pick details that reveal character or mood, not just appearance.

You revise in your own voice with clearer understanding of what to fix.

What people don't use AI for creatively

People generally don't use AI to create entire creative works for them. They use it for ideation, feedback, technical guidance, and breaking through blocks.

The actual creative work—the choices, the voice, the vision, the execution—remains theirs. AI is a tool in the creative process, not a replacement for creativity.

Using AI to generate content you claim as your own work is both ethically questionable and usually produces inferior results. The value of creative work comes from human perspective, authentic voice, and meaningful choices—things AI can help develop but can't provide.

Important reminders

Creative work is about making choices that reflect your vision. AI can generate options, but the selection and refinement are where creativity actually happens.

If you're creating work professionally (for publication, sale, display), understand copyright and attribution issues around AI-generated elements. Rules and norms are still evolving.

Your creative voice develops through practice and iteration. Using AI to skip the work of creating also skips the learning and skill development that comes with it. Use AI to enhance your process, not replace it.

The goal is to use AI to make your creative work better and your creative process more efficient—not to use AI to avoid doing creative work yourself.