Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the world at a remarkable speed. News stories often frame it as a threat that could replace jobs, weaken education, or diminish the creative fields we value deeply. For many, AI raises concerns about the dehumanization of work and the future of our society. While AI’s influence is undeniable, there is a much bigger story unfolding. As technology grows, our need for human connection and creative expression becomes even more essential.
AI investment and innovation continue to accelerate, and higher education now relies more than ever on data-driven decision-making. Some predict an eventual cooling of the AI surge, while others believe we are witnessing a long-term technological transformation. Regardless of interpretation, one fact is clear. AI will continue shaping our economy, our workforce, and our daily lives. Yet this does not mean the arts are at risk. In fact, the opposite is true.
As workplaces automate repetitive tasks, uniquely human qualities become more valuable. Empathy, collaboration, expression, and storytelling are central to artistic disciplines. The performing arts fulfill fundamental human needs that technology cannot replicate. These include emotional expression, shared experience, cultural identity, community connection, and meaning-making. AI can enhance processes, but it cannot replace what makes us human. The value of the arts grows stronger as technology advances.
Rather than resisting technology, artists and educators can work with it. AI can support creative exploration in helpful ways. It can generate quick ideas, analyze trends, expand accessibility, strengthen marketing and donor engagement, and streamline administrative tasks. But creating art, including music, theatre, dance, and storytelling, requires imagination, vulnerability, and human connection. These qualities can never be automated. For today’s students, this is not a moment of uncertainty. It is a moment of opportunity.
Political and educational decision makers often evaluate the arts through outdated employment or salary models. As AI reshapes the workforce, these models will change. Artists and arts educators have a responsibility to advocate for the essential role of creativity, demonstrate the human need for artistic expression, show how arts experiences support well-being and community, and prepare students to be creative leaders in a changing world. The goal is not to resist AI, but to highlight the irreplaceable value of humanity.
Instead of viewing AI as a threat, we can embrace innovation while emphasizing the experiences only humans can create. Music, performance, collaboration, and emotion remain timeless. For prospective students and families who wonder whether the arts still matter in a technology-driven world, the answer is clear: they do. The arts are not fading. They are becoming more essential than ever. This is the time to create boldly, learn deeply, and help shape a future where human expression leads the way.
