The Value of Friction In Creativity
I am suspicious that these “tools” from Google are not meant to be “tools” at all.
I rewatched Google’s promotional video for Flow today. The video made me think about friction, and how the effort put into something contributes to the outcome. Are all these new tools really helping us, or are they just letting us outsource our creative opinions to an algorithm?
Even as I write these articles, there’s a temptation to throw them into ChatGPT, let it smooth out my ideas, let it remove the friction of writing and editing. But what does that accomplish? How will I get better if I don't really have to try?
“I don’t know if I’m on the right path, but I am trying to find it. I’m questioning, searching, and then something shifts and... and I’m not trying anymore, I’m just doing.”
Those are the first words in the voiceover of Google’s “New AI Filmmaking Tool” promo. I found the phrase “I’m not trying anymore” to be an interesting choice of words. It made me feel as if Flow was doing the creating rather than the prompter. The words made me feel as if the artist had outsourced their efforts to a tool that would make trying less hard, or remove their effort completely.
I checked out the work of the artist featured in Google’s video. They have a great portfolio, full of tasteful designs and visual experiments utilizing new technology in a way that was intriguing to watch. However, when I hear the voiceovers in this video, it feels to me as if the artists are expressing that they don't have much control over the thing they’re using to make art. They are merely a starting point, clicking through rounds of iterations, hoping they find something that speaks to them.
There’s been a lot of discourse the past few days about these new announcements from Google. Lots of “we’re cooked” comments and memes about what fully AI movies will look like in the future.
First of all, video tools like this aren't entirely new. ComfyUI has been around for a while, and people have been making some really cool projects with it. There is a lot of additional hype around this particular announcement now because Google is getting in on it.
Flow doesn't look bad. If anything, it looks pretty decent and will likely get better and better. However, I feel the reason people have an aversion to these announcements is reflected in the opening sentence of the announcement video:
“Something shifts and... and I’m not trying anymore.”
I am suspicious that these “tools” from Google are not meant to be “tools” at all. With every announcement, it seems as if the goal is less about creative control and more about getting closer and closer to one big red CONTENT button that will churn out exactly what you want to see, when you want to see it, just to algorithmically generate something new the moment you get bored. No effort, no trying, no friction. Just the thing the algorithm thinks is best for you then and there.
However, people are going to make great art alongside AI. This statement might be controversial or offensive, wrapped in lots of ethical arguments about content ownership, etc. But it’s true. People will make great art alongside AI, and they already are. Check out this video:
This is the breakdown of a music video made by some very talented artists with AI as a tool. One thing you’ll notice is that the creators of this project are trying. They have a vision, a storyboard, they’re building a world and using tools to improve the process, not to replace their efforts.
Watching a piece of content like that music video gives an entirely different feeling than watching Google auto-generate a giant chicken in the back of a pickup truck. We intrinsically value effort and intentionality in someone’s work regardless of the tools they are using.
With each new big tech announcement, companies are trying to remove friction from the human experience. Don’t have enough time to edit your college paper? Fine, just throw it into ChatGPT and let it edit for you. Don’t want to interact with people in the store or spend time looking for your items? Cool, just mobile order and we’ll bring it to you. Don’t want to deal with the reality of your financial situation or spending habits? No problem… finance your burrito in four individual payments and download RocketMoney to remind you how many subscriptions you’ve forgotten about.
Each advancement comes with the promise that we’ll be more free. Mark Zuckerberg has said many times that when it comes to AI…
“people are just going to be so much more creative, and they're going to be freed up to do all kinds of crazy things.”
But why does it feel like the opposite? Why does the announcement from Google feel like it cheapens people’s efforts and removes the creativity?
It’s because many of these products are being built to eliminate resistance, to outsource the friction. Kyla Scanlon has a great essay on how our economy operates around the digital world pushing friction onto the physical one.
“All you have to do is take out your phone to disappear into the frictionless universe of technology. And companies definitely want you to! AI is the newest terrain in a decades-long race to eliminate all forms of cognitive resistance”
Whatever field you’re working in, writing, coding, graphic design, film, there’s a startup somewhere right now trying to build a tool you can outsource your efforts to. Push a button, generate a result, and spend the free time watching instagram reels.
Even Hollywood has sidestepped the challenge of creating something new by recycling 20-year-old IP and pairing it with a fresh A-list cast. Why? Because making something original takes effort—and effort creates resistance.
As you go about making things, whether for work or passion, your efforts matter. The amount of thought put into a project can be felt. The time spent problem-solving, the care taken to make something great, it all shows up.
Some people will reject these tools entirely. Others won’t be able to create anything without them. Wherever you land, the important thing is to embrace the friction.
Your work isn't just a college paper you’re turning in for a grade. Every experience, every encounter, every bit of resistance shapes how you think, process, and grow. As companies keep building tools that remove the learning curve and outsource creativity, the artists who make something original, something that doesn’t “feel like AI” are the ones who will stand out.
Many people are worried, and understandably so. They've spent years developing skills that now seem replaceable. To be honest, I don’t know exactly what to say to that person. These new tools are going to cause disruption, and it won’t be easy.
But maybe that’s the point. It’s not supposed to be easy. Creativity has always demanded something from us: time, patience, attention, and a willingness to wrestle with uncertainty. That’s what gives work it’s depth. The friction isn’t the enemy. It’s proof that you showed up, that you thought deeply, that you cared.
We don’t need to reject the tools completely. But we do need to make sure we’re still doing the work. Thinking for ourselves. Feeling things fully. Choosing the harder path when it means making something honest and human.
When tools offer you the easy route, it’s tempting. But this isn’t like switching from paint to Photoshop. This is the temptation to remove your effort entirely. Put in a prompt, skim the output, make a few tweaks, and call it done.
In a world where anyone can do that, it’s the extra steps that will make the difference. The friction in your work will be felt.
And that effort might be the most valuable thing you have to offer.
Keep Creating and Repeating
- James
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I really appreciate your nuanced take on AI. It has its pros and cons, and people tend to focus on one or the other. I think creatives can work alongside AI and will still make more meaningful and impactful work if they want to. The new technology transition is scary, but I think assuming we’re cooked isn’t a very helpful take. Thanks for this perspective!
This was a really interesting article. That phrase from the promo gave me a lot of feelings: “I’m not trying anymore, I’m just doing.” Not just about work, but about life. It gave me a lot to think about and talk about.
I liked your perspective on how we’re using all these tools and the importance of friction. I think we don’t like friction because it consumes our time, and we’re living in a world where everything is happening too fast, we can’t afford to lose a single second.
But you’re right, we need the friction that comes with truly creating something, we need the "trying".