Today’s Creative Spark…

• A creator just turned his AI music into a record deal

• Real or fake? AI, editing tools make severe storm photos more difficult to verify

• Design Jobs Are Getting an AI Makeover

• AI Art Sparks Outrage at Pop Culture Convention: Navigating the Intersection of Technology and Creativity

• Animation Jobs In The Age Of AI: Revelations From Luminate Intelligence’s 2025 Special Report

As AI composes music, creates art, and shapes videos, it challenges us to rethink what it truly means to be creative.

Read time: 8 minutes

Music

A creator just turned his AI music into a record deal 😱

Summary: Oliver McCann, who performs under the name imoliver, has signed a record deal after one of his AI-generated tracks reached three million streams on Spotify. McCann, who admits he has no traditional musical training, writes lyrics but relies on AI platforms such as Suno and Udio to produce the music. The signing marks what’s believed to be the first deal of its kind and intensifies debate over AI’s role in the music industry, particularly around fairness, copyright, and the impact on traditional artists.

Five Essential Elements:

1. First-of-its-Kind Deal: imoliver secured a record contract after an AI-generated track went viral.

2. AI-Driven Process: McCann writes lyrics but depends entirely on AI tools to compose music.

3. No Musical Training: He openly acknowledges having no background in singing or playing instruments.

4. Copyright Issues: The AI tools he uses are trained on real artists’ work, raising licensing and compensation concerns.

5. Industry Shift: The deal signals more AI-powered signings ahead as labels and AI companies negotiate rights and revenue sharing.

Published: September 1, 2025

Photo Editing

Real or fake? AI, editing tools make severe storm photos more difficult to verify 🤔

Summary: Environment Canada and storm chasers are facing growing challenges as AI-generated and edited weather images spread online, making it harder to confirm real severe storm events. Public reports and photos are an essential part of tracking weather, but false submissions—whether altered, mislabeled, or fully fabricated—are undermining trust and leading to inaccurate warnings. Experts warn that as AI tools become more sophisticated, distinguishing between authentic and fake storm images will get increasingly difficult, affecting public safety and eroding confidence in weather reporting.

Five Essential Elements:

1. False Reports Rising: AI and photo editing tools are fueling an increase in fake severe storm photos and reports in Canada.

2. Impact on Warnings: Environment Canada relies on public submissions, but false images have led to incorrect alerts and reduced trust.

3. Storm Chaser Concerns: Professionals say fabricated content diminishes the credibility of real storm documentation and education efforts.

4. Detection Challenges: While metadata and visual cues once helped verify images, AI manipulation is making traditional checks less reliable.

5. Eroding Public Trust: As severe weather becomes more frequent, experts warn that misinformation threatens both safety and confidence in official reporting.

Published: September 1, 2025

Workflow by The Gen Creative

In each newsletter, the Gen Creative team puts together a practical creative workflow so you can get ideas of how to implement AI right away. Want to see more? Check them out here!

Art

AI Art Sparks Outrage at Pop Culture Convention: Navigating the Intersection of Technology and Creativity 🫣

Summary: The presence of AI-generated art at a recent pop culture convention in Washington has fueled debates over authenticity, copyright, and the impact on professional artists. While AI art offers new creative possibilities and greater accessibility, critics argue it risks undermining traditional artistry and exploiting existing works without proper consent. Platforms like PixelDojo are stepping in with tools designed to encourage responsible use of AI in art, balancing innovation with respect for originality and intellectual property. The controversy highlights the need for transparency, clear policies, and collaboration between artists and technologists to shape a fairer future for creativity.

Five Essential Elements:

1. Convention Controversy: AI-generated works on display and for sale at a Washington pop culture convention sparked heated debates among artists, attendees, and organizers.

2. Core Concerns: Critics point to issues of authenticity, copyright infringement, and the economic impact on professional artists.

3. Broader Backlash: Similar disputes, such as Christie's plan to auction AI art, have drawn opposition from thousands of artists concerned about exploitation.

4. Responsible Tools: Platforms like PixelDojo provide features like Flux Creator, style transfer, and character design tools to support ethical AI art creation.

5. Path Forward: Calls for clear labeling, fair policies, and collaboration suggest a future where AI can enhance, rather than replace, human creativity.

Published: September 3, 2025

Animation Jobs

Animation Jobs In The Age Of AI: Revelations From Luminate Intelligence’s 2025 Special Report 👀

Summary: Luminate Intelligence’s Animation + AI: 2025 Special Report examines how generative AI is reshaping the animation workforce. After years of industry upheaval, from the pandemic boom to streaming-era layoffs, AI now raises both opportunities and threats. Executives see efficiency gains and cost savings, while many artists fear deskilling, lost creative work, and shrinking entry-level opportunities. The report suggests a “middle path,” where AI assists with repetitive tasks while humans guide creative direction. New hybrid roles, evolving legal frameworks, and ethical AI adoption will play a key role in determining whether AI empowers animators or sidelines them in favor of automated production.

Five Essential Elements:

1. Industry Shifts: Animation employment has faced volatility in recent years with layoffs at major studios and closures of VFX houses.

2. AI Anxiety: Surveys show more than half of entertainment workers expect animators and VFX artists to be heavily affected by AI in the near future.

3. Creative Concerns: Artists worry about style replication, copyright risks, and the erosion of traditional craft, with lawsuits already targeting AI companies.

4. Evolving Roles: A “middle path” may emerge with AI assisting in technical tasks while new jobs like AI workflow designers and prompt animators take shape.

5. Future Outlook: The survival of animation as a skilled profession will depend on legal protections, ethical AI use, and investment in reskilling the workforce.

Published: September 4, 2025

Design Jobs

Design Jobs Are Getting an AI Makeover ✨

Summary: AI is reshaping how design and development teams work, blending roles and requiring new skills to create effective, human-centered experiences. Traditional handoffs between designers and engineers are being replaced by collaborative, AI-assisted workflows where coding assistants and generative tools act as partners. Success now depends less on the technology itself and more on how teams adapt—integrating creativity, technical fluency, and empathy to design interactions that build trust and enhance customer relationships.

Five Essential Elements:

1. Shifting Roles: Designers, engineers, and product managers are collaborating more fluidly with AI, blurring traditional boundaries between disciplines.

2. AI as a Teammate: Tools like coding assistants help designers focus on detail and creativity by functioning as capable collaborators.

3. Critical Skills: Four areas stand out—experience architecture, design agent collaboration, conversation design, and context/ontology mapping.

4. Opportunities and Risks: Poor design can frustrate users and erode trust, while thoughtful integration can create seamless, loyalty-building experiences.

5. Human Connection: The future of AI in design requires teams that combine creativity, technical skill, and empathy to ensure technology strengthens, rather than weakens, human relationships.

Published: September 2, 2025

Remote Creative Jobs

5 Remote Startup Creative Jobs

1. Middle 2D Animator: Innovecs Games is hiring a 2D Animator to bring creativity and talent to global mobile and iGaming projects — offering competitive pay, flexible remote work, growth opportunities, and a supportive creative team.

2. Senior Manager, Creative - Video & Photography: Docebo seeks a Senior Manager, Creative – Video & Photography to define and lead its global visual storytelling strategy, building a scalable, future-ready brand framework.

3. Visual Effects (VFX) Artist: Velan Studios, creators of Mario Kart Live and Knockout City, is hiring VFX Artists (6-month contract) to craft high-quality effects that push the boundaries of gameplay and creativity.

4. Creative Video Content Supervisor: HomeBuddy is hiring a Video Production Manager to lead short-form video content creation, manage remote freelancers, optimize production processes, and deliver high-quality ad and social media videos.

5. Creative Food Art Director: INDG is seeking a Freelance Creative Food Art Director to craft photorealistic, culturally authentic, trend-driven AI food imagery—starting full-time freelance for at least one month, with potential to extend.

See you next time!

Creative work moves between vision and detail. 🧑‍💻🎨 AI takes on some of the detail—framing images, adjusting mixes, tightening text. 🖼️🎛️✍️ A steady tool in the background, freeing up focus for the ideas. 📷🎙️📄

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