The emergence of artificial intelligence presents countless opportunities, but it also carries significant risks, especially for creatives. Imagine a future where your craft, your passion, is no longer needed. Should you contribute to your own replacement by integrating AI systems into your work? Should you—controversial thought—resist it? Or is it better to remain open to every innovation?

In my opinion, the answer is no. Let’s be honest: as we grow older, change becomes harder to embrace. From my own experience, I can say that resistance to change often stems from starting over repeatedly. As a web developer, I’ve experienced this firsthand—eventually, you stick to familiar codebases to avoid the hassle of adapting to every new trend. I intentionally refer to these trends as "changes" rather than "improvements."

At some point, we all strive for stability—a state where things simply work so that we can focus on enjoying life amidst the chaos of daily responsibilities. This realization hit me hardest when I became a father.

By jumping on every new bandwagon out of Silicon Valley or elsewhere, we subject ourselves to constant upheaval. Since moving to Japan, I’ve noticed something profound: change isn’t always necessary. Japan thrives on tradition and old systems. There’s an entire industry dedicated to vintage cars, with YouTube channels celebrating vehicles from the '80s and '90s. This enduring love for "old things" reflects a valid interest in stability and nostalgia.

In Japan, skepticism toward change often stems from a deep cultural desire to avoid losing face. The fear of unexpected failure or embarrassment drives this mindset. Take Japanese web design as an example—Phoebe Yu’s YouTube video captures this perfectly. As someone who remembers the internet before Big Tech dominance, seeing these "old-school" designs fills me with nostalgia. Surprisingly, much of that spirit is still alive in Japan today.

So how should creatives approach change, especially those who are skeptical? In my view, we don’t need to embrace every change. I’m not advocating for outright resistance but rather acceptance: what we create is valuable, even if it looks or feels outdated. As long as it fulfills its purpose and delivers value to people, we don’t have to chase every trend.

Japan shows us that old systems can still serve people effectively.

Let’s focus on creating reliable, meaningful work rather than constantly reinventing ourselves. Sometimes, consistency and purpose hold more value than the latest innovations.