1113 Why I Stopped Fearing AI in Art

thinkfuture: technology, philosophy and the future

See more: https://thinkfuture.substack.com

Connect with Maya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackerma/

---

Is AI here to replace creativity—or to unlock more of it?

In this episode of thinkfuture, host Chris Kalaboukis speaks with Maya Ackerman, generative AI pioneer and founder of WaveAI, one of the earliest startups in the space. Maya has been exploring the frontier of human–AI collaboration in creativity for over a decade, and she shares her perspective on how we should really think about these systems.

We explore:

- Maya’s journey as one of the first generative AI founders (2017)

- Why AI should augment—not replace—human creativity

- How to view AI as an “imagination engine,” not an oracle of truth

- The big questions around consciousness and whether AI can ever be “aware”

- Why expecting AI to deliver objective facts is a dangerous myth

- What the next 10 years could look like for work, art, and human connection

- The potential role of universal basic income in an AI-driven society

- How AI might allow us to shift from machine-like labor to more creative, expressive lives

Maya’s vision is optimistic yet grounded: if we embrace AI as a partner in creativity instead of a replacement, we can move into a future where imagination, art, and human connection become the center of our lives.

If you’re curious about generative AI, creativity, truth, and the evolving role of humans in an AI-first world, this episode is a must-listen.