Still Me. Still the Real Thing.

Scott Hull Associates Illustrator Michael Bast on AI, originality, and the unmistakable value of the human creativity.

When longtime SHA illustrator Michael Bast asked Grok (yes, the AI) to analyze one of his detailed tropical fruit compositions and generate something “in the style of Michael Bast,” he wasn’t nervous. Just curious.

“I have to say I don’t feel threatened,” he wrote in a recent LinkedIn post. “People who want Michael Bast have to still give me a call.”

And he’s right. What makes Michael’s work shine—his eye for form, his attention to texture, and his experience working with brands that want more than stock—isn’t something a machine can mimic with one click. Not convincingly. Not meaningfully.

I've said it before:“AI is going to wipe out mediocre talent. But if you’re the real thing? You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

And Michael’s work proves the point. The tropical spread he shared in that post? It's packed with character, nuance, and all the subtle imperfections that only an illustrator with a practiced eye could bring together.

So, what does AI mean for clients and creative directors?

It’s an opportunity—to be even more intentional about who you work with and what you want your visuals to say. AI can give you fast. But artists like Michael give you timeless. They give you strategy. They give you soul.

As Seth Godin put it:

“If all that’s needed is the push of a button, we can find someone cheaper than you to push it.”

But if you’re aiming higher? We’ve got someone better than a button.