Gentrified by design: Reflections on the role of algorithms in creative work.

Quotes and takeaways

“[A]lgorithm-based curation leads us to consume content that is less diverse and more generic. It also shapes the content we create, whether we fully acknowledge that or not.”

“[C]ulture has become increasingly homogeneous” and the homogenity of what we see day after day is shaping our perception of what “good” design is.

“Creating something means exposing oneself to great levels of vulnerability. To think about the body of work, to find the pieces that match. Sincerity can be scary. It is hard to get things right, but even harder to admit that any creative process is fundamentally about directly facing the possibility of not getting things right, failing, and learning from it.”

AI can perhaps correct our grammar, spelling, and syntax. It can summarize and give us an outline of how a persuasive argument is constructed. But can it communicate our hopes and dreams? Can it unlock the words to communicate our desires, our love, or our goals?

• How do we create work that is authentic and ethical in a continuously homogenised landscape?
• What can we, as designers, do to make our work connect with people in a more meaningful way?

“There’s nothing tedious about finding joy in overcoming formidable challenges, in applying your knowledge and skill to craft something, and, yes, struggling along the way. Frankly, I find this to be the most rewarding and meaningful aspect of being a designer and a creator. For me, this is an integral part of learning and evolving as a professional, as an individual.”

We struggle with makes us human as we start to give more and more over to be done by the machines we have created in our own image.