The software engineer and mentor Laura Morinigo brought her 15 years of experience in tech to SlavConf to explore a question that is increasingly relevant for creators, entrepreneurs, and technologists alike: how can generative AI become a genuine partner in the creative process rather than a threat to it?
Laura opened by demystifying what generative AI actually is; a type of artificial intelligence capable of producing new content such as images, text, and music, based on the data it has been trained on. While the technology itself is not new, she emphasized that what has changed is its accessibility. Tools like ChatGPT have brought AI into the hands of everyday users through natural language, making it as simple as having a conversation.
One of her central themes was the idea of breaking creative blocks. As someone who admits that starting a piece of writing can cost her hours of stalled effort, Laura described how she uses AI to generate outlines and spark alternative perspectives, not just at the beginning of a project, but at any point where momentum stalls. She was keen to stress that this kind of assistance is not limited to any one profession:
“Even though you’re not a musician or a writer, I think most of us need somehow to exercise our creativity.”
To those feeling overwhelmed by the pace of change, Laura offered a practical piece of advice: start small. Pick one tool that addresses a genuine pain point in your workflow and experiment with it in a low-stakes project before integrating it more broadly.
She closed her talk with a statement that captured the spirit of everything she had shared:
“I want AI to do my laundry and dishes so I can do art and writing, not for AI to do my art and writing so I can do my laundry and dishes.”
For Laura, this is the clearest way to frame the opportunity: AI should handle what drains us so that we are freed to do more of what makes us human.