From Novels to the Silver Screen: AI and the Future of Creativity

At first, AI couldn’t generate images that were realistic enough to be taken seriously. Now it can make images and videos of people that look more real by the day.

Before, you could barely generate a picture of Zendaya, but now, you can make an image of Zendaya getting married, and people will actually fall for it!

AI has slowly but surely infiltrated creative spaces. Almost every day, there’s a new example.

Recently, the U.S. release of the horror novel Shy Girl by Mia Ballard was cancelled and discontinued in the U.K after the author was suspected of using AI to write it. The author said that she didn’t use AI to write the book (which was originally self-published), but that her editor used AI to edit the version published with Hachette Book Group without telling her.

There’s Matthew McConaughey, who signed with ElevenLabs to create a Spanish-language version of his newsletter using their AI technology. Darren Aronofsky released a short-form Revolutionary War series called On This Day… 1776 that is entirely AI-generated, though it features real SAG-AFTRA voice actors.

Through AI, the late Val Kilmer’s likeness will be used in the 2026 film, As Deep as the Grave. He was unable to film this role due to illness, and will posthumously “star” in the film through an AI-generated performance, with permission from his estate and children.

Increasingly, AI-generated content is being used alongside human creativity and in conjunction with creative/artistic industries. But does AI truly belong in our creative spaces?

It doesn’t, and there’s a laundry list of reasons why.

It’s not just that data centers use billions of tons of water to run, or that it’s used to generate inappropriate images of people without their consent, or that they could be used to generate images of people doing criminal activities they never did.

AI has set a precedent that the human brain can’t be creative on its own. It’s creating learned helplessness.

Creativity is integral to who we are as human beings. In childhood, we play dress up and make believe, we create stories and dream up entire worlds. But AI cannot create from scratch; it can only take what already exists in the world or on the internet and repackage it.

In 2025, there was talk of legal action against OpenAI, whose image & video generation model Sora 2 was being used to generate images that replicated the animation style of Studio Ghibli films. The Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA), a Japanese organization that works to protect Japanese IP like Studio Ghibli, even requested that “its members’ content is not used for machine learning without their permission.” Though human beings will always make art, the virality of trends using AI-generated images and videos is undeniable and makes the future of art feel uncertain.

So far, the response to the use of AI in creative spaces is to set guidelines around its use.

Hachette’s decision to pull Shy Girl from shelves is just one example of a company taking a clear stance on AI, and they’re not the only ones. Recently, a New York Times critic was dropped after it was discovered he used AI to write a book review. Last June, more than 1,000 authors signed an open letter against the use of AI in publishing.

These decisions will set a precedent in how publishers and companies in general handle AI-generated content in creative spaces going forward.

There will never be a time again when AI-generated material won’t exist. The cat is indeed out of the bag, but we get to decide how far it goes.

Consume Everything, Synthesize Everything, Make Art: The Ideology of Zola Simone.

Zola Simone is a name you’re going to want to know in 2026. A Boston native turned Brooklyn local is bringing a completely new vibe to the queer music scene in New York City. Zola considers her genre of music to fall into the “Queer Pop” category, yet carries heavy notes of RnB in everything she creates. Zola has been perfecting her sound and musical platform since the age of 12, growing her foundations in Boston and carrying them with her back to NYC. I must say, they are doing an excellent job in showcasing their musical experience and tying it together with natural talent, creating something truly extraordinary. 

Photography by Isaac Wheatley

With over 20 singles, 4 EPs, and 2 full albums available on all streaming platforms, I asked Zola if she always knew music was something she was going to pursue career-wise. Her response is what all of us creatives hope to feel in one way or another: “I was recently asked this, what I would do if music wasn't an option, and I couldn't think of an answer. I can't see myself doing anything else but this”. In my opinion, this is what truly makes an unforgettable artist. Yes, you may hold love for other hobbies and niche interests, but someone who is entirely committed to the art they create and what they output into the world is one who deserves the recognition.

Photography by Isaac Wheatley

Luckily, Zola grew up around music and was surrounded by the encouragement of their loved ones to pursue music. This gave her an upper hand in getting involved in the music scene sooner than others. She mentioned that she had the opportunity to perform live at Boston’s top Pop radio station at the age of 10, just by being persistent with her need to perform. This then opened a door of opportunities for her. By 12, she was offered to be a part of Boston Music Project and their “Teen Empowerment” program. This gave young local artists a chance to collaborate with a recording company to record songs and music at no cost. This is what changed perspective for Zola Simone and reaffirmed her desire to pursue a career in music. 

New York City is home to millions of amazing artists and musicians, known and unknown, so why should we know Zola Simone? This is Zola’s response to that question: “Take away that you’re not alone, whatever you're feeling there is someone out there who understands you in some capacity. Music is needed and so important for mental health. I want them to know there is still hope and that human creativity is essential and inevitably inescapable. Music is about connection, community, and is a shared experience between the artist, music, and the audience. It is essential that we can all connect in some way and take away what we need from music.”  She carries this philosophy in her music and in how she writes her songs. When an artist can have the ability to create while also using factors of their environment to influence the art they produce, that is something to be paid attention to. 

Check out her two albums, Now You See Me and Kaleidoscope, available on all streaming platforms. My favorite song of hers is “Pirouette” off the Kaleidoscope album.Pirouette (Sped Up Version) be sure to give that a listen, I highly recommend! They have new music coming out this summer and are always finding ways to perform. Find them on all social media as @ZolaSimone.