How AI Is Becoming a Partner in Human Creativity
As generative AI transforms industries, it’s also reshaping something deeply human: the creative process.
What does it mean to be creative alongside artificial intelligence? In this episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, IDEO U’s Mina Seetharaman sat down with Matthieu Lorrain, Creative Lead for AI and Creativity at Google DeepMind, and Savannah Kunovsky, IDEO’s Managing Director of Emerging Technology, to explore that very question.
The conversation moved far beyond hype to unpack real examples, practical tactics, and emerging opportunities for creative professionals. From AI-fueled prototyping to storytelling systems and unexpected forms of collaboration, one thing is clear: we’re entering a new creative era. One where AI can be more than a tool and become a creative partner.
Whether you’re a designer, marketer, innovation leader or creative, this episode offers practical and philosophical insights into the evolution of creativity and AI.
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AI Is Supercharging the Creative Process
How AI Is Transforming Creative Prototyping and Visualization
Creativity and AI in the Age of Liquid Content
The Creative Tension Between AI and Human Intuition
The Best Way to Learn AI Is to Use It
How Creative Professionals Can Get the Most From AI
AI Is Supercharging the Creative Process
“We are at a critical moment with AI where we're wondering what it means to be human in the age of AI,” Mattheiu said of his mindset on AI’s impact. “Ultimately, what I care about is how do we augment the human with those tools?”
For Matthieu and Savannah, AI’s biggest strength isn’t efficiency. It’s momentum. It keeps ideas moving and helps creatives stay in a state of flow.
Tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Google’s Imagine add value far beyond speeding up content creation. They’re removing creative blocks and shortening the gap between vision and execution. Matthieu uses AI to test ideas, refine storyboards, and even evaluate pitches before presenting them. “I actually use AI not to give me ideas, but to critique mine,” he says of how AI can help expand his thinking. “It helps me improve, just like a creative partner would.”
Savannah emphasized that AI helps her enter a flow state—a mode of fluid, fast-paced collaboration that feels natural, not mechanical. For people who thrive on collaboration, AI introduces a kind of interaction that feels more like a creative partner than a solo ideation tool. “AI allows you to get into more of that mode of collaboration,” Savannah said. “It brings us more natural interaction paradigms.”
“AI allows you to get into more of that mode of collaboration. It brings us more natural interaction paradigms.”
Savannah Kunovsky, IDEO’s Managing Director of Emerging Technology
How AI is Transforming Creative Prototyping and Visualization
AI is radically transforming how creative ideas get visualized and prototyped. For Matthieu, tools like Veo 3 and VideoFX, announced at Google I/O 2025, now allow him to turn a pitch into a visual in minutes, making it easier to sell bold ideas. “I’ve spent my career trying to sell novel ideas, and it’s hard,” he says of the challenge of earning support for new ideas. “Visualization is helpful, and AI tools let you do that fast.”
He described using AI video for virtual casting and environment scouting, as well as vibe coding to explore aesthetic directions before deciding which ideas to invest in further.
Savannah added that AI makes it easier to work across media—text, image, video, spatial design—and prototype across platforms without needing deep technical expertise. This accessibility opens up opportunities for more people to contribute earlier in the creative process.
“I’ve spent my career trying to sell novel ideas. And it’s hard. Visualization is helpful. AI tools let you do that fast.”
Matthieu Lorrain, Creative Lead for AI and Creativity at Google DeepMind
Creativity and AI in the Age of Liquid Content
What’s next after film and video? According to Matthieu, we’re entering the age of liquid content, where creative outputs change form based on who’s experiencing them.
“We’re moving toward a world where stories and expressions are generated in real time—customizable based on the context of the audience.”
Matthieu Lorrain, Creative Lead for AI and Creativity at Google DeepMind
He compares this evolution to storytelling before the printing press: shamans tailoring myths to their listeners, adapting in the moment. AI allows us to return to that personalization, while still scaling across time and platforms. A single idea might manifest as a short film, interactive training, or immersive experience, without sacrificing creative intent.
Savannah raised a critical point: What happens to the agency of the creator when stories are personalized by AI? Matthieu proposed a model similar to game design, where the creator defines the world, but users have freedom within it. This shift pushes creative work toward system thinking and world-building.
These ideas aren’t abstract. They’re already showing up in AI-enhanced education, game design, and marketing. But Savannah urges caution: these tools must remain accessible and human-centered, not just experimental showcases for the tech elite.
The Creative Tension Between AI and Human Intuition
Not everything AI generates will hit the mark, and that’s where the magic often starts.
Mattheiu and Savannah agreed that creative tension between human vision and AI output is productive. The surprises, mistakes, or “off” results can serve as invitations to explore new ideas or push boundaries.
“These tools don’t always give you what’s in your mind’s eye. But that friction? That’s where interesting things happen.”
Savannah Kunovsky, IDEO’s Managing Director of Emerging Technology
The Best Way to Learn AI Is to Use It
You don’t need to be an AI expert to start experimenting. In fact, Matthieu argues that direct experience is the only way to build creative fluency. “You can’t cut corners,” he says of devoting time to experimenting with AI. “If you don’t spend significant time using it, you won’t develop that true understanding.”
He encourages creative professionals, especially leaders, to return to making. GenAI tools have brought him back to designing himself, even creating visual assets used in Google I/O announcements.
Whether you use AI to storyboard with Midjourney, test narrative structures with the Hero’s Journey, or prototype environments in video, the message is clear: start creating.
For those unsure where to start, Matthieu’s advice was simple: don’t wait for permission. “If you’re not getting the brief you want, write your own,” he said. “Don’t wait. Start creating.”
How Creative Professionals Can Get the Most From AI
Creativity and AI are no longer separate worlds. They’re becoming part of the same process. Matthieu and Savannah shared a roadmap for how today’s creatives can navigate the shift:
- Learn how LLMs “think” and how to prompt effectively
- Experiment across media—text, image, video, spatial
- Explore AI as both tool and collaborator
- Embrace creative friction and evolve through it
- Think in systems, not just outputs
- Stay human-centered: tools should serve people, not the other way around
“We need to collectively articulate what we want for creativity and AI. We should build systems that support human expression, not replace it.”
Matthieu Lorrain, Creative Lead for AI and Creativity at Google DeepMind
Key Takeaways
- AI unlocks creative flow
From writing prompts to visual exploration, AI keeps momentum high and ideas moving forward.
- Prototyping is evolving
Tools like virtual casting, AI-assisted video, and multimodal design are helping teams bring ideas to life quickly.
- Liquid content is the future
Enabled by generative tools, storytelling is becoming adaptive, real-time, and platform-aware.
- Experimentation is the new education
Learning AI by doing is the fastest way to develop intuition, confidence, and relevance in your field.
- Friction is fuel
The creative tension between human vision and machine output can lead to surprising, original results.
Explore More
At IDEO U, we believe AI is not just a productivity enhancer—it’s a creative amplifier. If you’re ready to stretch your skills and shape what comes next, explore our most popular resources:
Compare our 3 AI x Design Thinking programs
Best AI x Design Thinking Resources: Books, Articles, Courses & More
The Intersection of Design Thinking and AI: Enhancing Innovation
Listen to the full podcast episode and keep an eye out for our upcoming “Asked and Answered” bonus episode with even more from Matthieu and Savannah.
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