Not every company, big or small, will embrace the potential of artificial intelligence. Not because they don’t know — most are aware that AI is here to stay — but because they are too accustomed to repeating whatever generates results. Anything that feels like a risk, anything that dares to challenge the so-called “common sense” of their industry, is usually avoided. Yet, those who resist discomfort also resist the opportunity to evolve.

The problem isn't the tool — it's the mindset

Artificial intelligence is not the obstacle. The real issue is how companies approach it. Many see AI as just another shortcut for efficiency, a productivity booster to produce faster versions of what they already know. But AI isn’t just another tool — it is an opportunity to reimagine, not simply optimise.

The moment AI feels like uncharted territory, many leaders hesitate. If it doesn't fit the safe, conventional, expected patterns, they won’t engage. Why risk it when the usual formula still “works”? Yet, what works today is often just what the market tolerates, not what inspires.

Zag when others Zig

As Marty Neumeier writes in Zag: “When everyone zigs, zag.”

Yet most brands do the opposite. They zig simply because everyone else does. Fear of appearing strange, unconventional, or misunderstood keeps them safely mediocre.

This dynamic existed long before AI. Supermarkets, fashion brands, bakeries, perfumeries — all blurred into sameness, simply because following trends seemed safer than challenging them. Innovation was only permitted when disguised as minor variation.

But some dared.

Liquid Death redefined the bottled water industry through irreverence and storytelling. They didn't just change the label — they transformed the narrative and the audience.

Johnny Cupcakes turned a humble t-shirt brand into a cult-like community by masquerading as a bakery. They weren’t just selling clothes — they were selling a story.

AI is not the solution — it is the opportunity

AI isn’t the revolution. It is the door.

The companies that will actually benefit are not those who use AI to automate more of the same, but those who embrace its potential to create new worlds, new languages, and new formats — even if it feels chaotic at first.

The real challenge is not technical. It’s about daring to rethink:
Products. Visuals. Identities. Narratives. Even how people interact with what you build.

The missing piece: Designers and Creative Freedom

AI without designers is empty. Algorithms alone don’t invent. They don’t feel. They don’t dare.

What makes a difference is the human ability to imagine, question, and take a stance. But even the most talented designer is powerless if they are trapped inside companies that suffocate creativity.

Without environments that foster risk-taking, curiosity, and experimentation — neither AI nor designers will bring innovation. It is not about tools. It is about permission.

Conclusion

The real obstacle isn’t AI. It’s fear.

Fear of uncertainty. Fear of failing. Fear of being the first to zag while everyone else is still zigging.

But those who dare — they won’t just follow trends.
They will invent them.