Creative Identity Crisis: AI and the Future of Creative Value

“Value shifts from things that are in abundance to things that have more scarcity.”  In this live Object Subject Form session, Simon Clowes is joined by PJ Richardson for a follow-up conversation to Simon’s Safe Space LA talk, “Motion Designers Are Cooked.” The original talk opened up a discussion around the emotional reality of working in motion design and creative industries being reshaped in real time by AI, accelerated workflows, and shifting expectations. This conversation continues that thread. AI is often discussed as a tool for speed, efficiency, and output. But underneath the surface, the deeper question is much more personal: identity. What do motion designers, creative directors, animators, and designers hold onto when a job title no longer explains their value? Together, Simon and PJ explore where value migrates when more of the creative process becomes easier to produce, and why creative point of view is becoming more strategically important. As Simon puts it, this is a shift from building a body of work to building a body of thought. This is a conversation about AI and design, creative identity, studio culture, and how creative people can navigate uncertainty, protect their sense of self, build reputation, and stay adaptable without losing the deeper human qualities that make the work meaningful. –– Chapters 00:00:00 Cold Open: Are Creatives Losing Their Purpose? 00:00:49 Welcome Back to Safe Space 00:03:08 Career Uncertainty and Creative Identity 00:04:23 Titles, Identity, and Creative Advantage 00:09:57 Why Point of View Is Becoming More Strategic 00:14:23 Advice for Young Designers Entering the Industry 00:23:44 AI, Experimentation, and the Identity Crisis 00:31:59 Why AI Still Needs Strong Artists 00:35:18 From Body of Work to Body of Thought 00:41:19 Why Hard Creative Problems Still Matter 00:49:21 Remote Work, Community, and Creative Exchange 00:55:57 Relationships, Reputation, and Trust 01:17:32 Creative Culture, Critique, and Leadership 01:37:42 PJ on Identity, Purpose, and Leadership 01:46:14 Closing Thoughts –– Connect with PJ Richardson  PJ Richardson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pj-richardson-845599/  Laundry: https://www.laundry.studio/ Safe Space: https://www.safe-space-la.com/ –– Contact Simon / Object Subject Form Website: https://objectsubjectform.com/ Object Subject Form on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectsubjectform/ Object Subject Form on Instagram: https://instagram.com/objectsubjectform Simon’s LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/simonclowes Simon’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/simon_clowes Simon’s X: https://x.com/simon_clowes –– About Object Subject Form Object Subject Form is a podcast and creative platform hosted by Simon Clowes, exploring the human side of creativity, identity, and emerging technologies through conversations with artists, designers, technologists, and cultural thinkers.