AI can do it all, but human creativity still matters: MICA CEO

If AI is capable of writing scripts, designing logos, editing videos, generating music, and planning campaigns, what should a creative school focus on teaching? And more importantly, what essential skills should a creative professional acquire?

The education sector in India is starting to address these questions directly. The shift is evident, with IITs introducing AI-specialised degrees and design schools updating their curriculums.

The government has recently announced the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), introducing cutting-edge AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics & Extended Reality) courses and forming partnerships with Adobe, Meta, Google, and NVIDIA.

MICA, formerly known as the Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad, long recognised as India’s premier institute for strategic marketing and communication, has joined the conversation with a twist. It has launched the School of Applied Creativity, imagination-focused school for the AI era, aimed not at coders or animators, but at future storytellers, thinkers, creators and cultural strategists.

In a chat with afaqs!, Jaya Deshmukh, CEO of MICA, said the school was set up in response to a fundamental and pressing question: “What will it take to thrive creatively in a world where machines can do almost everything?”

“We’re moving from the Information Age to the Imagination Age,” she adds. “AI gives you instant access to knowledge, but it lacks context, emotion, culture. That’s where human creativity still matters — and that’s what we aim to cultivate.”

MICA’s leap from communication to imagination

The School of Applied Creativity is set to begin its first academic year in July 2026, with an expected batch size of 80–100 students. It will offer:

A redesigned one-year CCC (Crafting Creative Communication) programme.

A new two-year PG programme in Media, Entertainment & Content, with modules in experience design, talent management, and digital storytelling.

These programmes aim to go beyond skill-building by fostering creative thinking to navigate real-world complexities, in an environment where ideas hold greater significance than execution.

A global perspective and curriculum

The curriculum has been inspired by several of the world’s leading creative institutions, including Central Saint Martins (UK), Nottingham Trent University, and the University of Southern California (USC). 

Deshmukh emphasised that the faculty roster prominently features noted filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, who will take on the role of chief mentor for the school. His involvement, she added, is not just symbolic but deeply hands-on — guiding both the school’s vision and student journeys.

How does MICA’s school stand out?

With the government pushing initiatives like IICT and global tech collaborations on the rise, where does MICA fit in?

In contrast to IICT’s technically focused, production-driven methodology, MICA’s new school presents itself as a hub for applied creativity — a setting where “thinking” comes before action.

“We’re not competing with institutes teaching tools. Our aim is to nurture creators who ask better questions, not just execute faster solutions,” said Deshmukh.

That said, MICA is not completely distancing itself from the industry. The institute is currently exploring partnerships aimed at research, curriculum enhancement, and placements; however, official collaborations have not yet been announced.

How will students be admitted?

Admissions will be through MICAT, the institute’s long-standing creativity and aptitude-based test. Student portfolios may also be reviewed for selection. The school said it welcomes applicants from diverse academic backgrounds, not just design, media or communication streams.

“Imagination doesn’t require a prior degree,” Deshmukh said.

Details around the fee structure are still being finalised, but the institute indicates that scholarships and funding options will be available.

Is there a market for creative thinking?

The decision to open the school comes at a time when traditional higher education faces significant challenges, particularly in creative disciplines where AI is swiftly taking over execution-level tasks. In such a landscape, differentiation can come from originality rather than mere output.

The school also hopes to tap into growing demand from brands, agencies, streaming platforms, entertainment houses, and even startups, all of which increasingly seek multi-disciplinary thinkers who can combine tech, culture, strategy and storytelling.

“In a world full of content, context becomes everything. And that’s something only humans — for now — can bring,” said Deshmukh.