What is AI? Neural River’s Kim Littler talks creativity, bias, and human-centric tech on the future print podcast
- Kim Littler
- May 28
- 3 min read
We’re proud to share that one of Neural River’s team members, Kim Littler, recently featured on the FuturePrint Podcast to explore the increasingly urgent question: What is AI?
With a background that bridges English Literature, Marketing and Artificial Intelligence, Kim offers a grounded, human-first perspective that’s rare in the often hype-driven conversation around emerging tech. In this episode, she joins host Marcus Timson to explore the role of AI in creative industries, the myths that still dominate public perception, and why ethics and accessibility should be at the heart of every AI discussion.
Why this conversation about AI matters now
As Kim puts it, the goal of the podcast was to “demystify AI, particularly for creative industries, where the conversation is often led by people who don’t fully understand how the technology works.” With mainstream narratives swinging wildly between utopian promises and existential fear, there’s a real need for more balanced, accessible dialogue, especially for industries not traditionally seen as ‘tech-heavy.’
This is where the arts meet STEM. As AI tools become more embedded in day-to-day business, the need for cross-disciplinary understanding only grows. “People from non-technical backgrounds are often the most critical of AI,” Kim explains, “but they’re also the ones most needed to bring empathy, nuance and ethical thinking into the mix.”
5 key takeaways from the episode ‘What is AI?’;
AI is a tool, not a replacement. Used wisely, AI streamlines tasks and enhances productivity, but it’s not a magic bullet. It still needs human direction, especially in creative or complex environments.
Bias lives in data, not the tech itself. AI reflects the biases in its training data. For example, image generation often defaults to white male figures unless told otherwise. The documentary Coded Bias offers a powerful illustration of this issue.
Humanities matter in AI. Understanding people is just as important as understanding data. Kim argues that a blend of arts and technical knowledge leads to more responsible, relatable AI.
Prompt engineering is underrated. Knowing how to frame a question or input is vital. It’s not about ‘talking to a human’; it’s about learning the logic and limits of machine interpretation.
AI adoption is inevitable, but needs everyone. Rather than resisting AI, the focus should be on shaping its use. The more diverse the voices guiding AI development, the better the outcomes.
What this means for Neural River
At Neural River, we help businesses implement AI in ways that are practical, ethical, and results-driven. That means understanding not just what the tools can do, but how they should be used, and who should be part of the process.
Kim’s conversation with Marcus echoes many of our core values:
Making advanced AI accessible to all sectors, including creative ones
Staying hands-on with support after implementation (our ‘tuning days’ keep your AI relevant and up-to-date)
Valuing a culture of curiosity and cross-functional collaboration.
As Kim says, “AI isn’t reserved for Silicon Valley giants. With the right support, it’s a tool that any business can use to unlock better ways of working.”
Listen to the full episode
🎧 Future Print Podcast: “What is AI?” with Kim Littler
Whether you're curious about AI’s potential in your sector, or already experimenting and need a guiding hand, this episode is well worth your time.
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If you’ve got a challenge in mind, or even just a hunch that AI might help, we’d love to chat. Let’s figure out what’s possible, and then build it together.
Have a chat with Chris, our Head of Consultancy. He’ll help you map the path forward.
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