The pleasure and peril of AI and the future of creativity

〰️

The pleasure and peril of AI and the future of creativity 〰️

We all hated getting duped by Velvet Sundown on Spotify, but what about AI musicians created by humans to bring their artistry to life in a way they never could? Xania Monet is the creation of Mississippi-based designer and poet Telisha “Nikki
OpenAI is stepping into Hollywood with a feature length animated film made largely with Sora and other AI and non-AI tools. “Critterz” is aiming for a Cannes premiere next May. But how much disclosure will we get on the use of AI versus
Publicly Hollywood plays coy and critical about AI, but behind the scenes, it’s being used to cut costs and timelines. But why the secrecy? Follow THE GRAIN for more news and insights on how AI is impacting our creative industries. Subscribe T
Do you think ownership of your creative work is your human right? Some think so, and others don’t—but lasting decisions are being made. So what now? Follow this story and other vital conversations about how AI is impacting our creative i
Google overviews continue to decimate media outlets around the world. The latest battle is with Penske media, of Rolling Stone magazine, suing Google for grabbing their content and derailing search traffic. Get THE GRAIN newsletter for more, plus my
From THE GRAIN Newsletter: We don’t need no AI-ducation The University of New South Wales is moving ahead with the “Generative AI for Artists” course despite more than 7000 students signing a petition to shut it down. Read about
From THE GRAIN Newsletter: Clanker cleanup Freelance graphic designers, writers, editors, and the like are getting hired to polish the AI slop churned out by generative tools. Is this just a temporary patch until AI improves, or a glimpse into the
From THE GRAIN Newsletter: Survey says… A recent survey polling 150 Americans concluded they overwhelmingly want AI to assist artists, and not replace them. Duh! But how do these opinions evolve over time, place, and privilege? Read about it
From THE GRAIN Newsletter: AI versus natural Stupidity. Guillermo del Toro‘s long-awaited film Frankenstein featured at TIFF today. The legendary director asserts the film is not an AI allegory, quipping, “I’m not afraid of artific
From THE GRAIN Newsletter: Another one in the can. AI is being used to reconstruct lost footage from Orson Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons. Fable CEO Edward Saatchi who said AI is "possibly the end of creativity" also asserts both Welles
THE GRAIN, AI vs Film: I was privy to fascinating conversations today at TIFF’s Industry Spotlight: The Next Wave of AI Filmmaking: Smarter, Safer & Better, with speakers from Moonvalley, Adobe, GRAiL and Transitional Forms. Big takeaways
It’s been a heck of a summer and this is a snapshot of just the past week for THE GRAIN! Let’s all take a bow for showing up with wisdom and love. This year will bring big things so remember that being ready isn’t a feeling, it&rsq
You got an extra story out of me this week because people kept sending me the J.Crew scandal. I wasn’t going to include it but if you all insist—here’s my grain of thought on the matter, plus 5 other AI news stories and my grains of

Book Ronit Novak

A dynamic speaker on AI, creativity, and media literacy, Ronit draws on her 20+ years in journalism, education, and creative strategy for engaging lectures, seminars, workshop and panels, both as a speaker and moderator.

Book Ronit for your next event, panel, workshop, class, or podcast.

Ronit’s expertise

  • Media Pro

    Former creative lead at Toronto Life and Maclean’s, with real-world expertise in how journalism, social media, and storytelling have evolved across platforms.

  • AI Literacy Leader

    Founder of THE GRAIN, a platform exploring how AI is reshaping creativity and communication.

  • Educator

    Teach post-secondary photo and media studies, awards adjudicator, portfolio reviewer and lead arts-based community programs for kids.

  • Certified Trainer (Soon)

    Currently completing Google Certified Trainer status to deepen tech-enabled instruction.

Topics Ronit covers

AI vs. Creativity — What’s being lost, gained, and what still matters

The Ethics of AI in Media — Bias, authorship, carbon, consent

Future-Proofing Creativity — How artists, agencies, and educators can adapt

AI in the Classroom — Equipping students for the real future, not the hype

The Hustle vs. The Algorithm — Generative tools and the creative identity crisis

Custom talks and workshops available.

Recent and upcoming engagements

Panel Moderator, THE GRAIN. Advertising vs. AI: How to stay authentic. November 2025
Guest Speaker, University of Toronto, Scarborough. October 2025
Guest Speaker, CTRL+SHIFT Creativity and AI Meetup. October 2025
Guest, Canadaland Podcast. Canada’s Media Landscape. August 2025
Guest, Canadaland Podcast. AI Minister Evan Solomon’s Strategy. August 2025
Guest Speaker, FUZE Reps. July 2025
Judge, Alberta Magazine Awards. May 2025
Guest Speaker, SJC Media, Toronto Life, Maclean’s AI Committee. May 2025
Reviewer, Issues Portfolio Reviews. May 2025
Judge, Sheridan University Graduate Awards. April 2025
Guest Speaker, Sheridan University. February 2025
Guest, Broadcast Dialogue Podcast. November 2024
Guest, Not in Heaven Podcast. April 2024

What People Are Saying

Thank you for joining us and sharing your insights.

It was an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation.

We’re so glad you could be part of it and help us navigate such a critical topic in today’s creative landscape.

Your passion for the community and the mission behind THE GRAIN truly resonated with the team.

Looking forward to more conversation.

Daniela Favot. Owner, FUZE Reps

I love your energy and passion. It brings value to the that work I do too. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us.

Pamela Hamilton.
Owner, Sparks Productions

I love your podcast it's so illuminating. I work in the film industry and I have learned so much.

Carter, filmmaker

Loving your podcast and all these gems of info. You’re truly are doing such a good service to us all!

Kerry Shaw, photographer

Excellent programming and full of rich information on the pulse of change!

Erin Elder, visual artist and former creative media leader

So grateful that I was able to sit with you and have a great conversation. Thank you for your great energy, and your feedback was incredibly helpful.

Alex Franklin, photographer