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In today’s AI-powered creative landscape, finding the right balance between technological possibilities and human instinct has become one of the biggest challenges for designers and agencies. Holy Motors, the Tbilisi-based creative studio founded by Giorgi Avaliani and Nick Kumbari, believes the key lies in thoughtful constraints and using AI as a tool while protecting the craftsmanship and authorship at the heart of their work.

Giorgi and Nick both acknowledge the value AI brings to their workflow, especially when it comes to repetitive tasks, quick ideation, and early-stage visual experimentation. “It can generate references, textures, or variations in minutes that would otherwise take a lot of minutes more,” says Avaliani. But for them, it’s never about chasing efficiency for productivity’s sake. AI is there to support creativity, and not replace it.

At the heart of their approach is a commitment to human-led ideation. The initial stages of a project often start the old-fashioned way: with pen and paper. Co-founder Nick Kumbari is known for arriving at every meeting with his vintage notebook in hand, sketching out ideas long before a prompt is ever written. This analog ritual ensures that their concepts are rooted in personal thinking and tangible craft, rather than algorithmic suggestions. “It’s often faster and more meaningful to sketch something than to feed a prompt through AI and hope for the best,” adds Kumbari.

When AI does enter the picture, it’s with purpose. In a recent video campaign, Holy Motors used AI to scan objects and test visual treatments, but the final storytelling, animation, and art direction remained firmly in human hands. It’s a method the studio favors: integrating AI for specific production tasks while preserving full creative authorship over the outcome.

As the creative industry continues to navigate AI’s growing presence, questions around ethics and originality inevitably surface. While formal guidelines remain in flux, Holy Motors sets its own internal standards. The rule is simple: the final work must feel personal, intentional, and unmistakably theirs. “We double-check everything to make sure it doesn’t unintentionally imitate other creators or feel too generic,” says Avaliani.

For Holy Motors, AI isn’t a threat to creativity– it’s a new tool, one that, when applied with care, can enhance the craft rather than overshadow it. “Great ideas and storytelling will always matter,” says Avaliani. “The challenge is learning how to harness AI in a way that amplifies those ideas, while keeping what makes them human.”

Learn more about Holy Motors here.