Synthetic Creativity: How Creative Roles Are Evolving and Why Upskilling Is the Answer

by Carey Cockrum

Some creatives might still balk at the idea of mixing AI and creative work. But the reality is, AI is already here, woven into creative workflows, with nearly 80% of creatives using generative AI and 40% relying on it from ideation to delivery.

At Illuminate 2025: The Efficiency Effect — AI as the Engine of Strategic and Creative Innovation, I had the opportunity to share and discuss more with fellow creatives about the collaboration between AI and creativity. This remains a topic that creatives feel everything from guilt to fear to possibility. And the same question remains: How do we leverage the best of AI without losing the best of ourselves?

The answer? Synthetic creativity (or collaborative creativity).

Wait, What Is “Synthetic Creativity”?

The word synthetic may sound off-putting, maybe even a little artificial. But I believe there’s room to reconsider. While the term itself may feel polarizing, it’s really about the combination of human and machine collaboration vs. replacement.

It’s about the right combination of both: Synthetic creativity = Human imagination + Machine generation. AI brings speed, pattern-spotting, infinite content and more. Humans bring imagination, taste plus the ability to read the room (something AI is still hilariously bad at). Together, it’s about co-creation, acceleration and iteration.

In this model, there’s no threat of being “replaced by AI.” On the contrary, it reinforces the value of the human in the loop: we lead the AI. When the two work in tandem, the result is blended creativity: Projects move faster, ideas go further and the dreaded blank page problem disappears before your coffee gets cold.

But Why Does Synthetic Creativity Matter Right Now?

The Risk: When tasks stay static, AI replaces them.

The Opportunity: When roles evolve, AI accelerates and humans elevate.

The Outcome: Work becomes faster, more scalable and more meaningful.

Take, for example, a marketing team brainstorming a new campaign. AI can generate dozens of concept directions in minutes (informed and guided by creatives, mind you), something a team might take days to do. But it’s the humans who filter and refine those ideas, adding cultural nuance and emotional resonance to it. The result? A campaign that’s faster to launch and deeply connected to its audience.

Synthetic creativity is about leveraging AI’s benefits, like velocity and efficiency. But most of all, it’s about the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Together, humans and AI can open new creative frontiers, opportunities that neither could achieve alone.

How Are Creative Roles Leveling Up?

We’ve talked about what synthetic creativity is, but here’s what it’s not: creatives being replaced or downgraded to curators of machine output. Instead, it’s about rethinking the role of humans in the creative process.

A question I like to ask is: What’s the right metaphor for synthetic creativity?

Orchestrators conducting AI as one instrument in a larger symphony?
Curators sifting through AI output to find the gems worth keeping?
Amplifiers boosting the output of AI with human creativity?

All of these capture part of the truth, but they can feel scattered or even diminish the depth of work creatives do. The metaphor I find closest to the truth is elevation. Think of AI not as replacing or downgrading creatives, but as a tool that creates space for us to step up, go higher and do more of the work we actually love.

Blending AI’s abilities with human creativity means existing roles can do more and go farther (and faster):

Strategists elevate insights.
Designers elevate stories.
Producers elevate flow.
Leaders elevate culture.

While AI handles the busywork, the big ideas, taste, storytelling and cultural insight are pushed further through you, the human.

Why Upskilling Is the Answer

We’ve established that AI is smart, but it doesn’t really “think” for itself. Humans are still in the driver’s seat, teaching it and guiding it to create something meaningful. The real question is: Are you and your teams ready to partner with it effectively? Are your workflows designed to leverage AI instead of fighting it?

That’s why upskilling isn’t optional. Teams must be equipped to thrive alongside AI, not compete against it.

Key Principles for Effective Upskilling

Make time for learning: Build learning into the workflow with protected time, “learning sprints” or frameworks like the 70/20/10 model.
Think of AI as an opportunity: Address the fear of replacement by positioning AI as a tool that frees space for higher-value creative work.
Tailor training to roles: Strategists, designers, PMs and leaders all need training grounded in real-world use cases.
Focus your toolkit: Avoid tool overload. Curate a smaller set of AI tools and prioritize depth over breadth.

Critical Skills for the AI Era

Teams need a combination of human and AI fluency. Prioritize these key areas first:

AI literacy and prompt design: Communicate effectively to get meaningful output.
Curation and judgment: Edit and elevate AI output with human insight.
Data-driven storytelling: Turn analytics into compelling narratives.
Ethical brand stewardship: Ensure authenticity, trust and responsible use.
Humanity: Protect the qualities no AI can replicate, like empathy, wit and cultural insight.

The Playbook for Synthetic Creativity

Change can be disruptive and, yes, a little stressful. But it’s also an opportunity: a chance to shape the future of creative work, rather than just react to it.

Here’s how you can turn change into creative power:

Create learning labs and experimentation spaces: Give teams safe spaces to explore AI tools, test ideas and iterate without fear of failure.
Invest in cross-functional training: Encourage collaboration between tech experts, strategists, designers, producers and leaders to unlock new ways of working together.
Set up clear guidelines: Establish boundaries for ethical, responsible and consistent use of AI across your organization.

Final Thoughts

AI is already shaping creative work. So, the question is: Will AI be your crutch or a partner in unlocking new possibilities? We believe synthetic creativity is the answer: Humans and machines working together to achieve what neither can accomplish alone.

Such insights don’t often surface in the push and pull of everyday tasks. That’s why Cella hosts Illuminate every year, connecting you to industry trends, actionable insights and the top voices in digital, marketing and creative work so your team can step confidently into the next era.

Need another reason to mark your calendar for Illuminate 2026?

Are you ready to elevate creativity with AI? Let’s shape your next big breakthrough together.

Carey Cockrum

Carey Cockrum has been a part of the Creative Agency space for nearly 30 years. She has served as Designer, Creative Director, Creative Operations Lead and Agency Lead in both internal and external agencies (big and small). Carey has worked directly with C-suite stakeholders to understand organizational strategies that inform effective creative solutions. She is a bit of a data nerd and loves demonstrating results. Brands she’s supported include Fruit of the Loom, Wendy’s and Humana.

In her free time, she enjoys going back to her creative roots through painting, drawing and improving upon the house she lives in today in Southern, MI – inside and out.

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