AI – Is our future in good taste?

The new era of digital curators

One of the key insights shared by Bruno Oliveira at the Portugal Digital Summit 2024 (ACEPI)—which I attended last week highlighted precisely this point: the future belongs to curators.

With AI structuring and processing data, marketing professionals can focus on creating value, using critical and human analysis to transform data into meaningful and memorable experiences—the key differentiator between what is valuable and what is ordinary.

AI enables mass content production, but it is the human touch that gives it meaning and depth. It is not just about filtering and selecting, but about crafting narratives, capturing essence, and creating an aesthetic that speaks to the audience in a unique and engaging way.

Good taste: the true differentiator

Last week, in episode #239 of the Marketing por Idiotas podcast, Miguel Rão Vieira, Diogo Abrantes da Silva, and Frederico Carvalho explored whether good taste is the ultimate differentiator.

Miguel gave the example of Chanel—a brand whose designers stand out for their ability to see beauty where others do not. With thousands of designers worldwide, Chanel’s team possesses a level of taste that allows them to create something truly unique. What Chanel creates is not just fashion, but a sensory experience, a desire to belong.

This innate sense of aesthetics can be refined with technique, but there is a je ne sais quoi that cannot be taught. Some people are simply born with it.

The magic of divergent thinking: creativity vs. rationality

Creative individuals tend to use divergent thinking, imagining multiple solutions to a problem, valuing flexibility and spontaneity. Rational thinkers, on the other hand, rely on convergent thinking, solving problems logically and structured, based on data and objective criteria.

Neuroscience studies reveal that creative individuals show greater activation of the right hemisphere of the brain, associated with intuition and abstract associations, while rational thinkers primarily use the left hemisphere, responsible for analytical and mathematical skills.

In the workplace, creative and rational profiles complement each other:
✅ Creatives drive innovation and brainstorming.
✅ Rational thinkers optimize structured decision-making and strategy execution.

If AI takes over the analytical side, does that leave us only with creativity? Not exactly.

The role of strategic curation in marketing and creativity

Strategic curation will always be essential, but what distinguishes a winning strategy is the disruptive element—something innovative that challenges the status quo and makes us think and feel differently.

And who better than humans to understand what truly touches our hearts?

The creative brain makes all the difference when working with AI. The difference between a well-made reproduction and a truly memorable creation is human sensitivity.

A great example is Mar.ia, a Portuguese designer who integrates AI into her visual work, yet every detail is carefully crafted by her before being passed on to AI. The result? Breathtaking beauty that defies expectations.

I’ve worked with Maria long before she became proficient in AI, back when she was one of the senior designers on my team over 10 years ago. She was always one of the most creative and technically skilled professionals, but technical knowledge alone isn’t enough. It takes a trained eye to distinguish beauty and harmony—something beyond technique.

Mar.ia on Instagram

The influence of the unseen

the immense and invisible influence of fashion, using a blue sweater as an example.

She explains that the specific shade—cerulean blue—was a deliberate choice made by the most influential designers, which then trickled down through a complex chain until it reached Andy’s wardrobe, dismantling the idea that fashion is superficial.

The scene illustrates how our choices, no matter how independent they may seem, are shaped by creative decisions within the industry, highlighting the power of fashion professionals in setting trends that affect us all.

More than that, it shows that fashion has the knowledge and reach to influence the choices of millions, demonstrating its cultural and economic power through its unique creative intelligence.

In this context, those with natural good taste and aesthetic sensitivity will have a clear advantage in this new, technology-driven world.

Being a trendsetter—someone who anticipates and even dictates trends—is not just about staying ahead; it’s about having a vision that captures what is visually impactful and relevant.

It’s not enough to craft a well-structured prompt and refine it afterward—a creator with aesthetic intuition guides, adjusts, and enhances the outcome, recognizing subtle details that elevate the ordinary into something extraordinary.

It could be the volume or texture of a character’s hair, a specific shade of blue, or the emotional tone of a piece of copy—all nuances that make the difference.

Coolhunting in the digital age: the profession of the future?

This is where coolhunting—the ability to identify and anticipate cultural and aesthetic trends—emerges as one of the professions of the future, especially in the digital era driven by AI.

A coolhunter’s role is not just to observe what is trending, but to predict what will be relevant, inspiring, and long-lasting. In an era where AI can amplify and democratize access to ideas, coolhunting serves as a filter and context provider, identifying what truly has the potential to become a trend.

A coolhunter combines curation with a forward-thinking vision, transforming technology into a tool for defining what resonates culturally and emotionally, while always maintaining the human touch and perspective.

Without a doubt, this will be a highly valuable profession, where AI serves human intuition and refined taste.

When we look at AI-generated images, the difference between a good reproduction and a truly unique piece lies in the mind behind it and the sensitivity of the human touch.

This deep, intuitive sense is something that cannot be taught, nor can it be replicated by a machine. It is a unique, innate skill, impossible to be captured by an algorithm.

Emotional intelligence as an extension of the creative process

Moreover, emotional intelligence is an essential trait in creatives.

But is emotional intelligence an extension of the creative process, or is it a separate skill?

Creativity involves sensitivity, empathy, and a unique ability to perceive and evoke emotions—both one's own and those of the audience. For many creatives, emotional intelligence is almost instinctive—it enables them to grasp nuances, interpret emotions, and craft something authentic and powerful.

As Phil "Philthy" Taylor of Motörhead famously said:
"I’m a fucking artist, we’re sensitive as shit!"

Art is made with the sensitivity that connects us to the world and to what it feels.

Trendsetters as keepers of good taste and aesthetic intuition

In this context, those connected to the aesthetic and visual world will undoubtedly play a central role in the future.

People with good taste and an innate ability to harmonize colors, proportions, and compositions do not acquire this sensitivity through any course or software. They are the curators of digital creation, capable of seeing beyond the obvious and transforming the ordinary into something sublime.

They will be the ones responsible for elevating AI-generated work to a level that genuinely resonates with audiences, creating a perfect balance between technological innovation and human essence.

We are entering a new era, where the creator’s role does not disappear but is redefined as unique.

AI can generate millions of options, and while there is a risk of creative banalization, the true creator, with refined taste and a distinct vision, chooses what holds value, making subtle adjustments to the details that truly make a difference.

The human essence in the AI era: turning the ordinary into the extraordinary

s AI becomes an increasingly powerful tool for creation and automation, the true value lies in the human ability to transform AI-generated content into something that deeply resonates with audiences.

Automation alone is not enough—the human touch makes the difference by selecting, refining, and, most importantly, adding a layer of meaning and beauty that only good taste and human sensitivity can provide.

With each detail and adjustment, the creator elevates AI from mere functionality to something that inspires and captivates, leaving a lasting impact.

So, while AI speeds up processes, it is the creator’s touch that transforms the functional into something truly beautiful.

According to insights from McKinsey’s report, Creativity’s Bottom Line: How Winning Companies Turn Creativity into Business Value and Growth, roles related to creativity and design will become even more valuable, with increasing demand for skills that combine aesthetics and human intuition.

The analysis reveals that companies with high creativity scores, as measured by the Award Creativity Score (ACS), tend to financially outperform competitors. These companies implement four key practices:

1 Integrating creativity into daily operations
2 Developing a deep understanding of their customers
3 Accelerating decision-making processes
4 Quickly adapting to market feedback

These practices foster innovation and sustain long-term growth.

AI may accelerate the work, but it is the curator’s and creator’s human touch that transforms the functional into something truly extraordinary.

The essence of human connection: intuition and passion

What truly connects us?

Perhaps it is the ability to capture the human essence in every detail.

It is not an exact formula but a combination of intuition, sensitivity, and refined taste—a unique skill that creatives possess to see what is invisible to most.

It is the ability to touch, to know where and how to reach, because they can sense emotional nuances—those that resonate deeply, even when unseen.

True creatives transform the ordinary into something unforgettable, guided by instinct and passion.

They hold the "magic wand" that allows us to transcend, whether in print or digital.

They don’t necessarily have to be designers, writers, or painters, but they must possess an extraordinary sense of taste.

And that is something that, regardless of technological advancements, will never change.

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”

— Albert Einstein