Image by Angela Gronitz using Midjourney.
Join us for a provocative conversation hosted by our contributing Travel, Arts, and Culture editor, design scientist Dr. Melissa Sterry. We dive into the electrifying fusion of art, design, and technology with Angela Gronitz, a California-based multidisciplinary artist and Creative Director of Pacifica Design. With a decade-long career spanning film production design, storyboarding, and innovative prototyping, Angela’s journey began with classical training at the Florence Academy of Art and Laguna College of Art and Design.
In this interview, Angela unveils how her drive to push creative limits led her to embrace artificial intelligence as more than a tool — a true creative collaborator. She offers a compelling take on how AI amplifies artistic vision, reshaping the boundaries between human ingenuity and machine intelligence. Get ready to explore Angela’s bold, forward-thinking approach to co-creating with AI.
YOUR WORK INVOLVES CO-CREATING WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AS AN ARTIST AND HOW YOU FIRST BECAME INTERESTED IN INTEGRATING AI INTO YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?
My background as an artist and designer spans over a decade in film production design and as a storyboard artist, where I’ve explored the intersection of visual storytelling and design. My interest in AI grew naturally out of a curiosity to push creative boundaries and discover new ways of working. Rather than seeing AI as just another tool, I view it as a creative partner that opens-up unexpected possibilities in my process.
WHAT WAS THE MOMENT THAT MADE YOU REALISE AI COULD BE A CREATIVE PARTNER IN YOUR ART? DID IT HAPPEN GRADUALLY, OR WAS THERE A SPECIFIC PROJECT OR EXPERIENCE THAT SPARKED THE IDEA?
My understanding of AI as a creative partner developed gradually, sparked by a fascination with its potential. Discovering tools that could bring AI into film design and storyboard sketches made me curious to explore it further, and using AI felt like a natural addition to my creative process.
At first, I used AI mainly for experimenting with different forms and structures. But as I continued, I realized AI could align with my design style, adding layers of detail that enhanced my vision. I noticed that AI wasn’t just following instructions; it was responding to my input in a way that enriched my work, creating subtle variations that amplified my intent. AI didn’t replace my ideas; it enhanced them, becoming a tool that added depth and precision in a way that felt both organic and complementary.
AI AS A COLLABORATOR IS A RELATIVELY NEW CONCEPT IN THE ART WORLD. HOW DO YOU PERSONALLY VIEW THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARTIST AND MACHINE? IS IT A PARTNERSHIP, A TOOL, OR SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY?
I see AI as an extension of the artist’s toolkit, a collaborator that is both powerful and adaptable. Rather than just a tool, AI functions as a co-creator, opening new avenues for exploration and acting like an externalised thought process. Like how a brush or a pencil shapes traditional art, prompts in AI-driven design bring ideas to life with a level of detail and spontaneity that mirrors organic creation.
AI doesn’t replace the artist’s intent or vision; it enhances it. I treat AI as a dynamic partner that strengthens the flow of creativity while respecting the vision and intuition that remain inherently human. This relationship forms a symbiosis where technology harmonises with artistry, expanding the boundaries of what we can envision and create.
COULD YOU DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF CO-CREATING WITH AI? HOW MUCH CONTROL DO YOU HAVE OVER THE FINAL OUTPUT, AND WHERE DOES THE AI’S INFLUENCE OR “CREATIVITY” COME INTO PLAY?
Creating with AI starts with researching a concept that resonates with me—often something in bio-design, architecture, or technology, inspired by an article, a book, or a new idea I’m exploring. I usually begin with sketches on paper, using traditional methods to shape and clarify the concept before moving into the digital phase.
From there, I turn to Midjourney, where the creative process becomes about crafting specific prompts to guide the AI toward my vision. Writing prompts is like using a design tool, where each word influences the AI’s interpretation and helps shape the design.
To complete the work, I bring in tools like Photoshop, Blender, and Stable Diffusion, adding the final layers of detail to make the piece feel fully realized. While I control most of the outcome, the process remains organic, with each tool adding its own layer of interpretation. This blend of intention and flexibility allows the design to evolve naturally.
In the end, creating with AI feels like a collaborative process—one where I’m steering the AI to enhance my vision and bring the initial concept to life in a cohesive, polished form.
DO YOU CONSIDER THE AI TO HAVE A DISTINCT ARTISTIC VOICE OF ITS OWN, OR DO YOU SEE IT MORE AS AN EXTENSION OF YOUR OWN CREATIVE MIND?
I view AI as an extension of my creative mind rather than a distinct artistic voice. For me, AI tools are collaborators that amplify and expand my ideas, offering a way to experiment and explore new dimensions within my work. While AI can introduce unexpected elements that sometimes surprise or inspire, I always feel in control of the narrative and aesthetic direction. The process becomes a kind of dialogue, but one where the AI serves to enhance and channel my vision rather than adding an independent voice of its own.
CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH A SPECIFIC PROJECT WHERE AI PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN SHAPING THE FINAL ARTWORK? HOW DID THE AI’S INPUT SURPRISE OR CHALLENGE YOUR OWN VISION?
In a recent project exploring the concept of wearable ‘second skin,’ AI became an essential collaborator in bridging biology and technology. Inspired by organic patterns in nature, I used AI to process and reinterpret this data, uncovering forms and structures that pushed the boundaries of traditional design. The outputs often surprised me, some felt too abstract, but others revealed intricate, almost symbiotic patterns that aligned perfectly with my vision. The process was a dialogue: AI introduced new perspectives on how technology could enhance our connection to the natural world, and I responded by refining these possibilities into a design that felt both analytical and deeply human.
AI CAN PROCESS VAST AMOUNTS OF INFORMATION AND FIND PATTERNS THAT HUMANS MIGHT MISS. HAS WORKING WITH AI OPENED YOU UP TO NEW STYLES, AESTHETICS, OR ARTISTIC DIRECTIONS YOU HADN’T CONSIDERED BEFORE?
Collaborating with AI has definitely opened me up to new styles and aesthetics. Its ability to process data and generate novel patterns often leads to ideas I might not have explored otherwise. This process allows me to push beyond my creative limits and find directions that merge the organic and the computational in ways I hadn’t imagined.
THERE’S A GROWING DEBATE ABOUT THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN CREATIVITY. SOME SAY IT ENHANCES CREATIVITY, WHILE OTHERS ARGUE IT DETRACTS FROM THE HUMAN ELEMENT. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THE CRITICS WHO THINK AI DIMINISHES THE AUTHENTICITY OF ART?
I would argue that AI doesn’t detract from the human element; rather, it amplifies it. Creativity has always been influenced by the tools and technologies available to us, from brushes to cameras to digital software. AI is simply the next evolution a collaborator that pushes us to think beyond our limitations. Authenticity in art isn’t defined by the absence of technology but by the intention and perspective of the artist.
IS THERE A SPECIFIC BALANCE YOU AIM FOR BETWEEN YOUR INPUT AND THE AI’S CONTRIBUTION, OR DOES IT VARY WITH EACH PROJECT? HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN A PIECE IS ‘FINISHED’ IN THIS COLLABORATIVE PROCESS?
The balance between my input and AI’s contribution varies depending on the project. Sometimes, AI takes a more exploratory role, offering unexpected directions, while I shape and refine the final outcome. Other times, I guide the process more intentionally, using AI as a precise tool. Knowing when a piece is ‘finished’ comes from a sense of alignment—it’s when the dialogue between human intuition and machine-generated possibilities feels resolved, and the work communicates the vision I set out to achieve.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN AI-GENERATED RESULT THAT FELT COMPLETELY OUT OF SYNC WITH YOUR VISION? IF SO, HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHETHER TO INTEGRATE OR DISCARD THESE UNEXPECTED OUTCOMES?
Yes, there have been times when AI has produced results that feel completely out of sync with my vision. When that happens, I see it as an opportunity to question my assumptions. I either reframe the output to fit within my concept or discard it if it doesn’t contribute meaningfully to the work. The unexpected can be frustrating, but it’s also where the potential for growth and innovation lies sometimes those ‘off’ moments lead to breakthroughs I couldn’t have predicted.
ART IS OFTEN DEEPLY TIED TO HUMAN EMOTIONS AND INTUITION. HOW DOES THE EMOTIONAL ASPECT OF YOUR WORK TRANSLATE WHEN YOU ARE CO-CREATING WITH AI, A SYSTEM THAT LACKS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE?
The emotional aspect of my work remains central, even when co-creating with AI. While AI lacks emotions, it can uncover patterns, forms, and aesthetics that resonate deeply with human feelings. My role is to infuse the work with meaning, context, and intuition, ensuring that the final piece reflects a human story or emotional connection. The AI may provide the structure or unexpected elements, but the emotional depth comes from my interpretation and the decisions I make throughout the process.
DO YOU THINK THAT AI WILL EVER EVOLVE TO THE POINT WHERE IT CAN TRULY ‘UNDERSTAND’ OR REPLICATE HUMAN EMOTIONS IN ART, OR WILL THERE ALWAYS BE A DISTINCT GAP BETWEEN MACHINE-GENERATED AND HUMAN CREATED WORKS?
I don’t believe AI will ever truly ‘understand’ or replicate human emotions because emotions are rooted in lived experience and subjective perception, which machines lack. However, AI can simulate emotional cues or patterns that resonate with people, creating the illusion of emotional depth. While it might get closer to mimicking human expression, the distinct gap between machine-generated and human-created works will always lie in the authenticity of intent and the lived experiences that drive human creativity.
HOW DO AUDIENCES RESPOND TO YOUR WORK WHEN THEY LEARN IT HAS BEEN CO-CREATED WITH AI? DO YOU FIND THAT IT CHANGES THEIR PERCEPTION OF THE ART, AND IF SO, IN WHAT WAYS?
When audiences learn that my work has been co-created with AI, their responses vary. Some are fascinated by the integration of technology and view it as an evolution of artistic expression. Others are more sceptical, questioning the role of the human artist in the process. Overall, I find that it sparks meaningful conversations about creativity, innovation, and the boundaries of art. For many, knowing about the AI involvement deepens their appreciation for the complexity of the work and the collaboration it represents.”
THERE’S OFTEN A SENSE OF MYSTERY OR NOVELTY AROUND AI IN ART. DO YOU FEEL THIS FASCINATION ENHANCES THE APPRECIATION OF YOUR WORK, OR DO YOU SOMETIMES FIND IT OVERSHADOWING THE ART ITSELF?
There is definitely a sense of fascination and novelty around AI in art, and I believe it can enhance the appreciation of the work by drawing attention to the creative process. However, I am mindful of not letting the technology overshadow the art itself. The focus should remain on the emotional resonance and meaning of the piece. While the AI’s involvement adds an intriguing layer, the ultimate goal is for the work to stand on its own, regardless of the tools used to create it.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR YOU THAT VIEWERS KNOW ABOUT THE AI’S INVOLVEMENT IN YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS? DOES IT MATTER IF THEY UNDERSTAND THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS BEHIND IT, OR DO YOU PREFER THEY FOCUS ON THE FINAL PIECE?
It’s important to me that viewers understand the AI’s involvement, not necessarily from a technical perspective, but as part of the narrative of the work. Transparency about the process can enhance their appreciation by showing how the collaboration between human and machine unfolds. However, I don’t want the technical aspect to distract from the emotional or conceptual impact of the final piece. The art should resonate first, and the process can serve as an enriching layer for those who want to explore it further.
AS AI BECOMES MORE INTEGRATED INTO THE CREATIVE PROCESS, NEW ETHICAL QUESTIONS ARISE. HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THE ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF USING AI, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO AUTHORSHIP AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY?
Ethical considerations are integral to working with AI, especially regarding authorship and intellectual property. I approach it as a collaborative process, where the AI is a tool, not a creator. However, I always credit the role of AI in the work to maintain transparency. As artists, we need to navigate these new territories thoughtfully, ensuring our use of AI respects originality, avoids plagiarism, and acknowledges the contributions of the underlying technologies and datasets that inform its outputs.
HOW DO YOU ENVISION THE FUTURE OF AI IN THE ART WORLD? DO YOU SEE IT AS A PASSING TREND OR AS A FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT THAT WILL PERMANENTLY CHANGE HOW ART IS CREATED AND EXPERIENCED?
I see AI as a fundamental shift rather than a passing trend. It’s already transforming how art is created, experienced, and even defined. As the technology evolves, I believe it will continue to open up new possibilities, enabling artists to push boundaries in ways we can’t yet imagine. However, I also think the human element will remain essential—AI will never replace the artist but will serve as a powerful collaborator, amplifying our ability to innovate and tell meaningful stories.
FINALLY, AS SOMEONE WHO BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND ART, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ARTISTS WHO ARE CURIOUS ABOUT EXPERIMENTING WITH AI BUT MAY BE UNSURE OF WHERE TO START?
My advice to artists curious about experimenting with AI is to start with an open mind and a willingness to explore. Begin by learning the basics of AI tools and how they can integrate with your creative process. Treat it as a collaborator rather than a replacement for your creativity. Experimentation is key—allow yourself to play, make mistakes, and discover unexpected outcomes. Most importantly, stay true to your artistic voice, using AI as a means to enhance and expand your vision, not define it.
edited by Melissa Sterry