In this episode, Amy Balliet and Mark Heaps sit down for an honest conversation about artificial intelligence and what it means for creative professionals. They share how AI is showing up in their work today, the opportunities it creates, and the worries it raises about originality, ethics, and the future of design.

Along the way, you’ll hear candid reflections on how creatives can keep their unique voice while adapting to rapid change, why embracing experimentation matters, and how to balance efficiency with authenticity. Amy and Mark bring both optimism and caution to the discussion, leaving you with practical insights and plenty to think about.

Highlights

• Lighthearted banter about tech talk and finding “their people”
• Honest takes on common fears: job loss, plagiarism, and the “end of the world” narrative
• How AI is reshaping creative careers and where humans still hold an edge
• The balance between efficiency and originality when using AI in design
• Practical advice for staying relevant: evolve, experiment, and protect your value
• Why ethics, transparency, and authenticity matter in AI-powered workflows
• Opportunities for creatives to lead in strategy, storytelling, and human-centered design
• Future-proofing careers by learning adaptable skills, not just technical tasks

AI Tools Mentioned

• Adobe Firefly
• Nano Banana for Photoshop
• Loveable
• Bolt
• Replit
• Streamlit
• Vercel
• Firebase

Links & Resources

Design + AI FREE Webinar – September 30, 2025: https://creativepro.com/event/free-webinar-unlocking-the-potential-of-ai-in-video/

Design + AI Summit – November 13–14, 2025:https://creativepro.com/event/design-ai-summit-2025/

Listeners can save $100 on any CreativePro event with the discount code: PODCAST

CreativePro Membership – Unlock the magazine, downloads, and exclusive resources: https://creativepro.com/membership/

In this episode, Theresa Jackson and Mike Rankin go behind the scenes at CreativePro. They share how their similar career beginnings in prepress connected them at their first meeting many years ago, and how they now share overlapping roles at CreativePro. You’ll hear from Mike about the CreativePro Magazine evolution from InDesign-only coverage to a broader creative focus, and other changes that make content faster and easier to digest. This is followed with a conversation about community connection and their ideas for sustaining the energy of CreativePro Week year-round. Mike shares his newly formed Office Hours, and Theresa teases similar new community initiatives on the horizon.

Along the way, they preview upcoming events and dive into a candid discussion about AI in design—what excites them, what makes them uneasy, and why creativity and foundational skills still matters most. The show wraps with Mike’s top InDesign career tip—one you won’t want to miss.

Links & Resources

CreativePro Membership – Unlock the magazine, downloads, and exclusive resources: https://creativepro.com/membership/

CreativePro Magazine Article MATE: Your AI Helper in InDesign and Illustrator https://creativepro.com/mate-your-ai-helper-in-indesign-and-illustrator/

Office Hours – Join the conversation: https://creativepro.com/office-hours/

Design + Accessibility Summit – September 16–19, 2025: https://creativepro.com/event/design-accessibility-summit-2025/#overview

Design + AI FREE Webinar – September 30, 2025: https://creativepro.com/event/free-webinar-unlocking-the-potential-of-ai-in-video/

Design + AI Summit – November 13–14, 2025:https://creativepro.com/event/design-ai-summit-2025/

The InDesign Conference – December 9–12, 2025: https://creativepro.com/event/indesign-conference-2025/

Rob de Winter’s Flux Kontext Photoshop Plugin – https://www.robdewinter.com/flux-kontext-plugin-for-photoshop

InDesignSecrets is now the CreativePro podcast! Join David Blatner and Theresa Jackson and review the past 20 years of podcasting, as well as what to expect next!

Links and Info:

• Our podcast started in late 2005!
• Trivia: Did you know our podcast intro music was created by Anne-Marie Concepcion's daughter, Nicole?!
• Have an idea for a future podcast? Leave us a note below!