Welcome to this special edition of the SoDA Report on a New Era for Creativity, developed in partnership with Adobe.

We’re excited to present this report as part of an ongoing series of in-depth explorations into the trends, technologies, and behaviors shaping the future of digital design.

The most forward-thinking studios are already using AI to redefine creative workflows and client collaboration. Instrument has embedded AI into its production process to accelerate prototyping and exploration; Athletics is experimenting with AI as a co-strategist, using it to interrogate brand narratives; and HUSH is blending generative tools into spatial and experiential design, pushing the limits of what creative environments can evoke.

For my day job, I run a private leadership community for chief creative officers from Fortune 1000 companies, and our members talk all the time about the push for AI adoption in their organizations. They know AI is still a gray area. One member works at an iconic American outdoor company and she has felt a lot of pressure from the C-Suite to have her 50-person brand team design using AI. For a recent creative review, she asked her creative team to do a proof of concept manually, and then prompted them with the same brief using AI. When asked to pick which one they prefer, the executive board unanimously chose the one made by human hands over a robot. 

So how is AI actually useful right now, if it's not replacing the creative touch? Our members are clear that at this stage, these tools help more with productivity, rather than pure creativity. The goal is not to make something faster, but to have more time to create something better. 

We’d like to extend our gratitude to Adobe for its partnership and continued support of the SoDA Report series. We hope this edition sparks new ideas and dialogue about how AI can elevate (not replace) the human imagination at the heart of creative practice.

Matt McCue, Guest Editor