Connect with Maya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackerma/
When generative AI first exploded into the spotlight, many feared it would replace human artists, writers, and musicians. But Maya Ackerman, founder of WaveAI, has been working in this space for more than a decade—and she sees it differently.
In our thinkfuture conversation, Maya shared why she believes AI is best understood as an imagination engine. It can help us see new possibilities, experiment with ideas, and expand creative horizons—but it cannot replace human agency, judgment, or expression.
We explored:
Why AI should empower human creativity instead of replacing it
The myth of AI as an all-knowing oracle of truth
The debate around consciousness and whether AI could ever be “aware”
How AI can shift society from repetitive labor to creative expression
Why universal basic income may play a role in this transformation
What the next decade of human–AI collaboration could look like
Maya’s vision is hopeful: a world where AI helps us move away from machine-like work and spend more time on imagination, art, and human connection.
