Staying Creatively Human in an Artificially Intelligent World

The Mindful Maker

Minimalism is everywhere. Our phones are smooth slabs of glass and aluminum. Our storefronts are plain boxes with a logo. Even fast-food chains that once felt colorful and playful have stripped down to neutral walls and bare counters.

Minimalism is often celebrated as modern and efficient, but it can also feel soulless. The question is, are we simplifying for clarity — or just reducing everything to cut costs and move faster?

At Config 2025, designer Keegan Macnamara gave a talk called “The Maximalist Theory of Minimalism.” He explored the history of ornament and simplicity, from Tiffany-decorated revolvers to Apple’s seamless AirPods case, and argued that ornament has always been a human constant. His insights sparked a reflection for me: how do we, as designers and makers, stay mindful in this age of artificial intelligence, where the pressure toward efficiency is greater than ever?

Ornament as a Human Constant

Keegan’s talk reminded us that ornament is not just decoration. It is culture, story, and identity made visible. From Safavid carpets with hundreds of thousands of hand-tied knots, to Louis Sullivan’s skyscrapers lined with intricate patterns, ornament has always carried meaning.

Even Sullivan, often reduced to his quote “form follows function,” never meant design should be bare. For him, ornament was functional — not technically, but emotionally. It gave buildings identity, soul, and cultural depth.

I resonate with Keegan’s view that ornament has always been with us, even if hidden in abstraction. Apple, for example, sought scientific discoveries in geometry and splines, pursuing seamless smoothness as its own kind of ornament. It is not visual flourish, but a hidden elegance that still stirs our senses.

Minimalism Without Meaning

Where I part ways with Keegan is in how widely this philosophy is actually practiced today. Apple may pursue scientific beauty, but most companies are not Apple.

In many industries, minimalism is less about design philosophy and more about efficiency. It is cheaper to make every outlet look like a plain box than to invest in architecture that delights. Compare the vibrant McDonald’s of the 90s — playful, inviting, almost theme-park-like — to today’s neutral, stripped-down versions. What was once entertaining and full of character is now reduced to walls, tables, and a logo.

This is not mindful minimalism. It is cost-cutting minimalism. It reduces human experience to the bare minimum needed to transact.

AI and the Possibility of Perfect Efficiency

Artificial intelligence could push this trend further. By nature, AI tends to optimize for what is efficient, smooth, and repeatable. That does not mean it will, but there is a real possibility that AI-driven design may default to minimalism because it is easier to generate, cheaper to scale, and harder to critique.

The risk is sameness. If every space, app, and product is smoothed into perfection by AI, we may lose the quirks, details, and identities that make design human.

That is why mindfulness matters now more than ever.

Mindful Making: A Truce Between Ornament and Minimalism

Minimalism is not the enemy. Ornament is not clutter. The real power lies in blending them with intention.

Keegan pointed to the Pagani Utopia, a car that combines Apple-like smoothness with Tiffany-like ornamentation. It is neither purely minimalist nor purely maximalist. It is mindful design — clarity with character.

I like to think of it like cooking. Minimalism is the base dish: rice, pasta, bread. Ornament is the seasoning, the herbs, the spice that gives the meal identity. Too much, and you overwhelm it. Too little, and it tastes empty. The balance is what makes it memorable.

A Practical Guide: How to Stay Human in the AI Age

So how can designers and makers stay mindful and creatively human in an era when AI can generate faster and smoother than we can?

1. Pause Before You Produce
AI can deliver results in seconds, but speed is not always wisdom. Take a moment to sketch, to think, to question your intent before asking AI to generate.

2. Design Beyond Function
Ask yourself: what story, identity, or emotion does this design carry? Function is the baseline. Meaning is the differentiator.

3. Draw From Nature and Culture
From Owen Jones to Ernst Haeckel, history shows us that ornament flows from studying the natural world and human traditions. Look outward before you look at your toolset.

4. Automate the Noise, Protect the Craft
Let AI handle proposals, contracts, or production workflows. But guard the core creative process with your own hands and heart.

5. Curate Ornament Wisely
Ornament is not about adding more. It is about adding the right touch — a detail that reveals identity, soul, or intention.

The Future Belongs to the Mindful

I give credit to Keegan Macnamara for sparking this reflection. His reminder that ornament is a human constant is timely. But ornament, like minimalism, is not enough on its own. What matters is mindfulness — knowing what to simplify, what to express, and when to let a human touch break through perfection.

AI may smooth our curves and optimize our workflows, but it cannot give meaning. That responsibility belongs to us.

Because in the end, being a mindful maker is not about rejecting AI or embracing ornament for ornament’s sake. It is about creating with clarity and soul.

AI can generate smoothness. Only we can carve the soul.