Slot Machine Creativity: On the value of friction to create meaningful works of art with Nando Costa

What if the struggle and friction in the creative process is actually what makes art meaningful – and what we’re at risk of losing in our rush toward AI efficiency? In this deeply reflective episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the intersection of human creativity and artificial intelligence with Nando Costa, a renowned designer and artist who has been at the very forefront of Generative AI (GenAI) and whose work has shaped the visual identity of major tech companies including Microsoft, Google, and ServiceNow. From his home studio on Bainbridge Island, Nando shares his journey from early GenAI experimentation to a deeper understanding of what makes creativity authentically human.Nando takes us through his extensive exploration of generative AI, having created over 25,000 pieces using these tools, only to discover their addictive, slot-machine-like qualities and ultimate lack of artistic depth. He reveals how this experience led him to champion “slow photography,” deliberate creative processes, and the irreplaceable value of human intention in artistic work. Through compelling examples – from photographers camping for days to capture the perfect shot to his daughter’s (who’s also an artist) immediate rejection of AI-generated art – Nando illustrates why the time, energy, and personal investment we put into creating something directly correlates to its impact on others.Throughout our conversation, Nando challenges the dominant narrative that speed and optimization should drive creative work, instead advocating for depth over speed and originality over optimization. His insights on brand work, creative leadership, and the future of design offer a compelling counter-narrative to the “AI will replace everything” mentality, showing how human creativity becomes more precious – not less – in an automated world.In this thought-provoking discussion, we explore:Why generative AI feels addictive but ultimately lacks the depth of human-created artHow the time and energy invested in creation directly impacts the meaning of the workWhy Gen Z is gravitating toward analog processes like film photography and vinyl recordsThe importance of “slow” and deliberate creative processes in maintaining authenticityHow friction in the creative act isn’t a bug to be fixed, but a feature to be embracedWhat the future of brand work looks like when anyone can generate content instantlyThis episode is an invitation to reconsider our relationship with creative tools and the creative act itself, to value the human struggle that gives art its meaning, and to champion depth and originality in an age of optimization.Resources MentionedBook: Slow ProductivityTheo Jansen’s wind-powered beach sculpturesSomeForm Studio example of curated AI automation in designFastCo article: Pentagram defends its use of generative AIMicrosoft research on AI’s impact on workplace problem-solving abilitiesConnect with Nando Costa:Website: https://nandocosta.com/LinkSend us Fan MailFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poetsandthinkerspodcast/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/poets-thinkers/id1799627484Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4N4jnNEJraemvlHIyUZdww?si=2195345fa6d249fdSend your ideas, feedback and guest recommendations to [email protected]