Why AI Won’t Replace Humain Creativity? A Discussion with Ai Pioneer and SIRI co-founder Luc Julia
Nicole Walsh sat down with Luc Julia, co-creator of Siri, to ask the questions marketers and creatives are thinking about. Will AI replace designers? Can machines be truly creative? And how should brands approach AI without losing their identity?
Luc shared his honest take on where AI fits in the creative world and why humans are still at the center.
Can AI Replace Creative Talent?
That’s the question keeping many marketers and creative teams awake at night.
Especially during this year’s Cannes Lions 2025, where AI wasn’t just a buzzword. It was the beating heart of the conversation. From beachfront cabanas to top-tier panels with leaders from Google, Adobe, and Meta, everyone was talking about the same thing.
How will artificial intelligence change the way we create?
To get an answer grounded in experience, not speculation, we turned to Luc Julia, co-creator of Siri and a long-time AI thought leader. In a recent internal podcast with the AdCreative.ai and Appier team, Luc shared his bold, refreshing take on the relationship between AI and creativity.
And spoiler alert. It’s not as threatening as you might think.
“AI Doesn’t Create. People Do.”
Luc Julia’s position is clear. AI is powerful, but it’s not creative in the human sense.
“AI is not going to invent anything. It doesn’t create, doesn’t invent, doesn’t innovate.”
What does that mean in practice?
Imagine asking a generative AI to design “a green car on top of the Eiffel Tower.” It can do it. Instantly. But that surreal, imaginative idea? It came from you. The AI simply produced what it was told, drawing from millions of pre-existing data points. It didn’t imagine anything new.
This is a critical distinction for CMOs, creatives, and agencies worried about losing their value. AI is not replacing the creative spark. It is just making it faster and easier to turn ideas into content.
The Picasso Test. Why True Creativity Breaks the Rules
Luc brings it home with a compelling analogy. Picasso.
“Nobody will become a Picasso with generative AI,” he explains.
“What did Picasso do? He broke the rules. AI models don’t break rules. They remix what already exists.”
This speaks directly to the creative director's dilemma.
While AI can produce a dozen ad visuals or product videos in seconds, it will never replicate the brilliance of someone inventing a new visual language or rewriting cultural norms. Picasso’s genius was rebellion, not reproduction.
The takeaway. Use AI for the execution. But never lose sight of the concept. That’s still your job as a creative thinker.
Why This Matters for CMOs and Creative Teams
At AdCreative.ai, we believe in augmenting human creativity. Not automating it away. That’s why Luc’s point of view aligns with the very tools we’re building:
- Speed without sacrificing brand: Our platform allows marketers to generate on-brand ads and visuals in minutes, so they can keep up with campaign demands without risking consistency.
- Scale without burnout: Creative teams can use our AI tools to quickly generate variations, freeing up time for bigger-picture thinking.
- Empowerment for non-creatives: Not everyone is a designer, but that doesn’t mean they can’t build great assets. Our platform helps everyone in the org contribute. From interns to CMOs.
Luc said it best:
“We use AI to make ourselves better. It’s a tool. Not a replacement.”
This is especially true for CMOs who are now expected to deliver more campaigns, in more formats, with more personalization and less budget. AI is the only way to keep up.
What Cannes Lions Taught Us. And Luc Proves It
Luc Julia’s words echoed what we saw and heard firsthand at Cannes Lions 2025.
While the visuals were dazzling. Branded yachts, massive booths, Gaji bags handed out like candy. The real conversations happened between sessions. Creative leaders and brand executives confessed they’re still figuring it out.
The consensus. AI is here to stay.
But those who succeed won’t just adopt the tools. They’ll integrate them with intent, keeping their human creativity at the center.
Final Word. AI Isn’t the End of Creativity. It’s the Start of a New Chapter
Luc Julia’s insights should reassure every CMO, creative director, or strategist who’s felt the pressure of AI hype. The technology is evolving rapidly. But the human imagination still sets the direction.
The future of creativity? It’s powered by AI.
But it’s driven by you.
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