“This is an experiment in addressing topics that are impacting us in the creative industry. And we’re starting with AI because it is divisive. It is really challenging us as a creative community. So, we want to take a pulse to hear what’s on your minds.”

That’s how the host of CreativeMornings/New York, Tina Roth Eisenberg, kicked off a new special event series called “Thriving Through Change” designed to foster meaningful discussions about the challenges that creative professionals are facing today. Supported by our Global Partner Adobe, some of our most engaged CreativeMornings chapters around the world are designing interactive event formats that unleash the collective wisdom of our community.

A New Format to Foster Collective Insights

On a sunny morning, New York’s creative community gathered for a conversation powered by curiosity and an open-hearted desire to learn from one another. Instead of the usual speaker/audience format, we created a circle of shared reflection. Literally. The chairs were placed in a large circle, so we were looking at each other as we talked. Without a stage, the spotlight was on everyone.

Everyone was given a paddle with green on one side to signal “that resonates” and red on the other side to convey “I think differently about that” as people shared their thoughts. The crowd quickly became a sea of green and red as energy filled the room.

Taking A Pulse on Our Feelings About AI

Members of the community raised their hand to step up to the microphone and share their reflection or hot take on AI, then other people could respond with a “sizzle” (that’s what we called brief, follow-up reactions.) We held space for a wide spectrum of emotions and perspectives. Here’s a recap of the key themes that emerged…

A mix of hope and hesitation about AI’s role in creativity came up throughout the morning. In small groups, attendees discussed how AI tools have helped them speed up their work and brainstorm ideas like having a new creative partner. Later, a participant took the mic to lament that when she was singing around a campfire with friends making up a song and one of them pulled out ChatGPT to generate lyrics instead of riffing, “the vibes felt off.”

A call for transparency also resonated with many in the room. From realistic-looking photography to AI-generated text, attendees expressed the desire for clear labeling of AI-created content. As one creative director put it, “I always feel slightly deceived when I see something and I think ‘that’s cool…’ then, ‘is this AI’?

"Transparency is super important, especially with creativity.”

The effects on critical thinking were also debated. A tech educator referenced a study where knowledge workers reported a decline in their critical thinking after prolonged use of AI. While another attendee shared that using ChatGPT to review his writing and suggest gaps in his arguments actually sharpens his thinking on the topic.

Mental health and social disconnection were top of mind. A yoga teacher asked how many in the room had turned to AI for emotional support and green paddles flittered throughout the room. She explained that AI might offer short-term relief, but there’s a risk of eroding the crucial habit of reaching out to one another. “My hot take is that AI is a good tool for making mental health support more accessible, but that it might be untraining some social behaviors that we really need.”

The environmental impact of AI sparked heart-felt reactions. One creative technologist shared how creating thousands of AI-generated images for a project left them questioning the water and energy consumption of all that computational power. An attendee from the audience reacted with a call to center this impact in our consideration of AI, "We’re not going to be here to use AI if we kill the planet.”

Accessibility and equity emerged as a strong call to action. One participant spoke passionately about the power of AI to democratize creativity—lowering the barriers for people who lack expensive tools or resources. But another reminded us that without broad education and open-source alternatives, technology can reinforce existing inequalities.

The desire to use AI in ways that resonate with our values was a clear outcome of the conversation. One participant recommended training AI models with your own data to create more personalized and relevant outputs, rather than relying on default datasets that may not accurately represent our experiences. One speaker stated the challenge plainly: “How can we have an honest conversation about AI divorced from the people behind it and the market forces it’s being cultivated in?” Another responded with a call to support companies that act with integrity.

“We get to vote every day with the choices that we make and the products that we choose to use.”

Why This Conversation Matters Now

AI is here. It’s shifting workflows, sparking creative breakthroughs, and stirring real concerns. At CreativeMornings, we believe this isn’t just a tech issue. It’s a human one. And the only way forward is together. That’s why we’ve partnered with Adobe to develop this “Thriving Through Change” event series. By fostering meaningful dialogue, we can ultimately build a more heart-centered creative future.

You can check out more conversations about AI in our Thriving Through Change series hosted by CreativeMornings chapters around the world.