Accenture Song ECD Launches 'How to Stay Human' Initiative and Podcast
Accenture Song ECD and head of innovation Maria Devereux has launched 'How to Stay Human', a training program established with Dr Graham Mead and accompanied by a podcast of the same name.
The initiative is positioned to help creatives differentiate themselves by rediscovering their innate, human-powered creativity. The platform explores why creativity is one of the most "other-worldly" aspects of the human experience, and is a "practical call to arms" for anyone empowered to step into a new evolution of human creativity.
Maria believes AI will force humans to unlock new, untapped levels of creativity. For Maria, AI has raised the bar on human creative output.
“We’re about to witness the evolution of human creativity,” Maria said. “This is potentially the most exciting time to be a creative person.
“I’ve always been attracted to emerging technologies because they offer new ways and places to apply our creativity, but that should never be at the expense of a great idea.
"A movie, advertising campaign or song is meaningless unless it makes me feel something. And still, the best test of a great idea is what Nick Worthington taught me many years ago. Ask yourself this, 'Does it make you laugh or does it make you cry?'"
Billed as "more than just a training program", the initiative is designed as an invitation to the creative industry to use humanity as its "most powerful tool".
Offering five modules, it explores the metaphysical side of human creativity through breathwork and body-mindfulness. The collection of practical tools is designed to help people feel human again, kicking off with module one, which explores why learning to focus your attention will supercharge your creativity.
"As artificial intelligence continues to ingest every creative object d’art from Hollywood scripts to song lyrics to original art, it’s not only devaluing creativity, it’s flooding the world with prompt-generated creative outputs."
"While it’s incredible how quickly we can now prompt a creative response, the sheer lack of humanity in this process is leaving us feeling starved of meaning and emotional fulfilment."
Maria added, "I believe the first step towards trusting your instincts is connecting with your humanity. I’ve always felt that I was able to be more creative in certain states of mind so alongside Dr Graham Mead, I started to explore that notion in more detail.
"What if by being more present, having more focused attention and by calming my nervous system, I was able to make room for the emergent nature of creative thought?"
The 'How to Stay Human' podcast, available now on Spotify, features raw and open conversations with creatives exploring the emotional and ethical impact of AI on creativity. Guests include M ss ng P eces founder and visionary AI artist Ari Kuschnir, US chart-topping musician Tami Neilson, and Felix and Paul founder and Oscar-nominated immersive entertainment visionary Paul Raphael.
