Design Smarter, Not Harder
Join 11,000+ engaged creatives to know how to get ahead, and stay ahead, in your field.
|
What can two pioneers who revolutionized animation teach today’s designers about working with AI? In 1995, Pixar released Toy Story, the world’s first fully computer-animated film. It went on to set records and grossed over $373 million worldwide. The following year, director John Lasseter and Pixar CEO Steve Jobs (yes, that Steve Jobs) sat down for an interview with Charlie Rose. What followed were 21 minutes of a masterclass in how to blend human creativity and technology. 30 years later, those lessons still ring true, especially when people claim “AI will take away human jobs.” (It won’t.) Here are 7 timeless lessons from Jobs and Lasseter that we can use to explore new frontiers as creative designers. 1. Technology should serve creativity, not replace it."These are just great new expensive pencils... we don't look at it as a way to replace any of the creativity or any of the real art of filmmaking... the focus of what we do is still where it's most important and that's where the story and the characters." — John Lasseter When Toy Story was released, everyone focused on the technology behind it. But not the team at Pixar. They were clear that the story, its characters, and what it all meant to the audience were still the focus. The tech was a means to enable humans to tell more compelling stories. Likewise, AI image and video models like MidJourney, Runway, and Consistent Character AI are “great new expensive pencils.” The designers who are leaving a mark in this field (and who will disrupt it) are treating it exactly like Pixar treated computers: powerful instruments to execute faster, and explore larger possibilities, but not take over creative decision-making. Takeaway: GenAI is a tool for creative design. It can help you generate quicker, better, and more compelling graphics. But it cannot replace human intelligence and creativity. 2. Focus on storytelling above all technical capabilities."Toy Story is a success not because it's computer-generated, it's a success because it has... the characters of Buzz Lightyear and Woody and the storyline that really has captivated audience... we're about putting stories into the culture... telling stories." — Lasseter & Jobs When Pixar pitched Toy Story to the public, they could have led with revolutionary rendering techniques or breakthrough computer graphics. But they didn't. They led with a story about toys coming to life when humans weren't watching. Woody's jealousy, Buzz's delusion, and the friendship that emerges from conflict. It was so good that it captivated children, teenagers, and adults. The same principle applies to design today. You could try to master MidJourney prompts or perfect AI workflows, but your value will reduce as soon as the tools upgrade. Instead, create value by addressing your audience’s emotions and needs through compelling visual narratives. Takeaway: Start every project by defining the story first. What problem are you solving? What emotion should users feel? Then use AI tools to execute that vision more effectively. 3. Embrace the unique advantages of your medium."What excited me when I first saw computer animation back in about 1981 was that it was three-dimensional... we were able to move in and around objects which you had never been able to do in hand-drawn animation." — John Lasseter People often adopt one of two approaches when it comes to new tech. They either use it to do what is already being done. Or they experiment and see what it is capable of doing. The team at Pixar chose the latter. Rather than trying to make hand-drawn films on computers, they leaned into what the machines could do: create multi-dimensional worlds where cameras could move freely through space. That was a whole new use case. AI comes with a similar promise of exploring use-cases that few have imagined. And astute creative designers are using it to generate hundreds of iterations, blend impossible visual styles, or scale personalized designs at scale. (This is exactly what we aim to help our Consistent Character AI users achieve.) Takeaway: Don’t limit yourself to making AI do what you already do. Test your imaginations. Even if your moonshots fail, you’ll land on the roof and discover new approaches. 4. Maintain rigorous creative standards regardless of your tools."The first year and a half was story development alone... we worked so hard because... the most important thing to me in creation of Toy Story was to make a film that... of course kids will like... but the parents are gonna like it... and then the adults without kids would like it and then teenagers." — Jobs & Lasseter Technology didn’t make the Pixar team lazy. On the contrary, it made them more demanding. They spent 18 months on story development alone. 18 months! They obsessed over every character motivation, every scene transition, every emotional beat. The technology was sophisticated, but their standards were even higher. The same discipline applies to AI-assisted design. The tools can generate content faster. But that doesn’t mean you have to decide based on the first outcome. Iterate. Start over if needed. Develop a critical eye. Stop when you reach the goal. Then do better the next time round. Takeaway: AI speeds up execution. Use the saved time to increase attention to typography, composition, and user experience that defines engaging design. Also read: Our GPT Crossed 800,000 Uses: Here Are 7 Lessons It Taught Us About Product Launches 5. Think in decades, not quarters."Snow White [movie] is 60 years old.. The ability for these things to live for 60 or even a hundred years is amazing... Most of the technology products... you're lucky if they live ten to fifteen years." — Steve Jobs Great creative work outlasts the technology used to create it. Jobs understood this. Apple computers become obsolete in years, but Disney's Snow White remained culturally relevant across generations. This perspective dictated Pixar's approach towards filmmaking. They created stories that would endure rather than ones that just used fancy tech. This same long-term thinking is something we need to apply to AI workflows. While tools like DALL-E and Midjourney will evolve rapidly, fundamental design principles like clear visual hierarchy, emotional resonance, and problem-solving will remain constant. These are the things that will not change in the next 10 years. Takeaway: Build your AI workflow around timeless design principles rather than trendy techniques. Focus on the things that will not change. 6. Collaborate, don’t compete, with technology."Computer animation is even a little bit of a misnomer, the computers don't do the animation, they do the drawing... but the animators act... they're the heart and soul of the characters, they do all the acting, not the computers." — Steve Jobs Jobs was crystal clear about who did what at Pixar. Computers handled the technical execution of calculating light, rendering surfaces, and processing mathematical operations by the millions. But humans made every creative decision, including how Woody walked, when Buzz realized he was a toy, and what made the audience laugh or cry. As AI-assisted designers, we must embrace such a division of labor. Use AI for asset generation, style exploration, and technical optimization while reserving creative direction, aesthetic decisions, and strategic thinking for ourselves. Takeaway: Define clear roles in your AI workflow. Let the technology handle repetitive tasks and technical execution while you focus on creative vision and strategic design decisions. 7. Keep your eyes open for unexpected possibilities.“I heard about this incredible group of computer graphics specialists that George Lucas had assembled at Lucasfilm that he wanted to sell... I went up there and saw what they were doing and I met the leader of this group Dr. Ed Catmull… and Eddie told me about his dream which was to make the first computer animated feature film someday... I was blown away." — Steve Jobs The story of how Pixar began is really interesting. Steve Jobs was not shopping for an animation studio or anything. But when he heard about Lucas' computer graphics team, he was curious. He went to see what they were working on. Most investors would have seen an expensive research project with uncertain commercial potential. But Jobs recognized something bigger: a team with both technical brilliance and creative ambition. And he bought into the dream spiritually and financially ($50 million). As designers, we must stay alert to possibilities outside our immediate field. The most innovative work often happens at intersections. Like where AI meets traditional crafts, where gaming interfaces influence enterprise software, and where architectural principles reshape digital experiences. Takeaway: Don’t get lost in a cobweb of the latest design trends. Pay attention to developments in adjacent fields. The next breakthrough in your work will mostly come from an unexpected combination you hadn't considered. Weekly Workflow: Cartoon Storytelling in a Single FlowCreate children's books, avatars for video explainers, or brand mascots... Without complex prompting. Here's how: Log in to Consistent Character AI (for conceptualizing and consistent output) It's great for motion, storyboarding, or pitching a visual narrative, right? Go ahead. Try Consistent Character AI. Talk soon, Sachin and Diana |
Design Smarter, Not Harder
Join 11,000+ engaged creatives to know how to get ahead, and stay ahead, in your field.