Recently, I conducted an AI workshop at a top international school in Japan for nearly 100 students aged 13 to 14, representing over 50 countries. During the workshop, participants were tasked with using AI tools to complete commercial branding projects.
In a previous column, I discussed how the most crucial skill for future talent facing the AI-driven business environment is the experience and ability to solve real-world problems. This time, observing the students’ performance, I realized that one of the most important qualities for future talent is possessing creative confidence.
In fact, David Kelley, founder of the renowned design company IDEO and former dean of Stanford d.school, explored the concept of creative confidence in his 2013 book. He believes that innovation and creativity are key to business success. However, most people, as they grow up, often associate creativity solely with the ability to “create,” forgetting that everyone was full of creativity and capable of unique insights as children. Therefore, fostering creative confidence is vital, as those with creative confidence believe they can change the world around them.
A decade later, generative AI has significantly lowered the barriers to creation, and learning to use AI tools has become a crucial pathway for future talent to develop creative confidence. During the workshop, I witnessed the students’ abundant creative confidence firsthand. Through hands-on experience with AI tools, they’ve internalized the belief that “if you have an idea, there’s a tool to realize it,” which will become a fundamental part of their mindset moving forward. Moreover, students with strong storytelling and precise communication skills not only achieved better results using AI tools but also excelled among their peers by actively promoting their visions and fostering collaboration.
There’s much discussion about how AI will drastically change the nature of work, whether it’s fewer work days, a major reshuffling of professions, or increased opportunities for entrepreneurship. Regardless of how the future unfolds, I believe that possessing creative confidence will be a superpower. When individuals have this confidence, they’re no longer shy about expressing their ideas, they believe in their ability to change the world, and they’re more willing to experiment and take action – ultimately seizing key opportunities that come their way!
