Bend artist and designer Heather Crank shares how creatives and businesses can embrace artificial intelligence while protecting human creativity, critical thinking and originality.
Artificial intelligence has moved from novelty to a necessary tool in just a few years. For art director, graphic designer and motion artist Heather Crank, the conversation isn’t about resisting AI—or embracing it blindly. It’s about learning how to use it thoughtfully while protecting the skills that make us human. Founder of Crahmánti, a motion graphics studio, Heather Crank has worked with clients including Google, Adobe, SeaTac Airport and Coinbase, and her work has been exhibited at the Guggenheim and Meow Wolf. She also explored AI through a series of painted “hallucinations” created for the Reno Tahoe Art Fair and recently shared her perspective on ethical AI use in a TEDxBend talk. Crank discusses why restraint, education and human decision-making matter more than ever.
Q: What first drew you to AI, and how do you use it in your business?
A: I’ve always lived at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and art and design. I jumped in and started playing with AI and immediately saw the disruptive element. I own a small business, and it allowed me to have more control and generate storyboards, especially for motion design pieces, very quickly. There are things AI is doing within software programs that help me a lot. But it’s more automated, technical processes. It’s not a thinking process.
How important is restraint when using AI?
Making sure you’re not totally dependent on it is important, because studies are showing people are not using parts of their brain as much, and that could lead to atrophy. I think having guardrails around critical thinking and making sure you’re doing the work, reading, engaging and using it more as a collaborative partner to a point. Sending work out to your peers for feedback before it goes out into the world is super important.
What doesn’t AI do well?
AI doesn’t understand culture. It doesn’t understand critical thinking, physicality or emotion. A lot of people I’ve seen who get lost in AI mistake the artificiality of the experience for the real thing. It’s good at mimicking us, but it’s not conscious. It’s empty at this point. AI allows you to think bigger, but it doesn’t make your work better. It averages everything out. My personal skills, what I know, and my own mastery are still the most important things. If you become dependent, then your ability to excel or master something is blunted.
Do you have advice for businesses who are starting to use AI?
Most are going to need to use AI because it optimizes and speeds things up. I think being conscious about it and using it in the most ethical way possible is really important. Be aware of the risks—things like data centers and the way AI uses power—and be conscious about what you’re asking from the environment and people within your business. Make educated decisions. Where is my power in this? Is a good question. And for me, that’s the decision making part. The real creative act is when I make decisions. Is this good? Is this not good? Does this fit the brief? Does this not fit the brief? Your ability to make decisions is the power.
Your TEDxBend talk opened with an AI-generated version of yourself. Why?
The TED talk opens with an avatar of myself that I’ve created that looks like me and talks like me, but it’s a little off, intentionally, so it’s a little unnerving. The avatar is in the first minute of the talk, and it’s expressing how important it is to discern what’s real and what’s not real, and to pay more attention. I speak a lot about the importance of the way we think and interact in bodies and in our brains that have beautiful outcomes.
What’s your ultimate message to creatives?
There’s a lot of polarization, black-and-white thinking. My advice is to learn about what’s coming so that you can speak truth to power. Form your own relationship with it. Be educated. Be smart. Be informed. Make sure you know how to navigate this. It moves so fast. If you don’t do that, you’re going to be left out of the conversation, and I don’t want that for creative people.
What concerns you most about younger generations growing up with AI?
Identity is formed when you’re young, and ChatGPT is changing relationships, how kids are interacting and the way they’re asking questions. It’s hard for high school students moving into college. A lot of jobs are disappearing, so they don’t know what the future holds for them. I’m a big advocate of ethical AI use in schools.
Do you have deep roots in Bend?
My grandma immigrated to Bend when she was 9 years old from Canada. My grandpa came here from Pitcher, Oklahoma. They met at Bend High. Being here is about family, and I need nature around me. I love the idea of being part of the emerging culture here.
Learn more about the Artificiality Summit 2026 and see more of Heather Crank’s Portfolio. Or keep reading more local Bend and Central Oregon business profiles.
