Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the creative world, giving artists, illustrators, and filmmakers new tools to push boundaries and tell stories in ways never imagined. AI-powered platforms such as Midjourney and Runway enable creators to generate highly detailed images and videos, redefining storytelling, enhancing creativity workflows, and opening new doors for those willing to embrace it. Albert “Big Al” Gruswitz is one of the visionaries who did so. Now, at 81 years old, he continues to push creative boundaries by marrying traditional advertising expertise with cutting-edge technology.
A veteran of the advertising industry, Big Al is known for crafting high-quality, realistic illustrations and retouching complex photos. He stands out for his ability to think like an art director—a skill that allows him to create stunning visuals that align perfectly with the intended message.
In 2022, Big Al explored AI-generated imagery through Midjourney, a prompt-based image creation platform. “If you haven’t started working with AI, you’re already behind,” he shares, reflecting his motivation behind leveraging the technology. He was determined to understand how AI could be integrated into his professional work, employing a methodical approach instead of merely experimenting. Big Al learned to use AI tools through structured courses, books, and hands-on practice. His vast experience in advertising and deep understanding of AI-driven workflows have positioned him as a leader in the space, enabling him to teach teams at ad agencies how to use Midjourney and AI-enhanced Photoshop techniques.
The creative’s work encompasses AI-generated images in different categories: characters, landscapes, sci-fi concepts, and architectural renderings. Besides image creation, Big Al explores storytelling that blends AI-generated visuals with his own narratives, as well as those generated by tools such as ChatGPT. He also makes videos, and one of his projects is When Sunny Gets Blue, a music video developed using Midjourney 6.1 and Runway Gen-3.
Big Al’s work has earned him numerous awards as an illustrator and an art director. His visually striking artwork has garnered high readership scores in advertising. In Lürzer’s Annual of Creative Excellence (ACE) Report, Big Al is ranked second among the Top 10 Digital Artists in the United States. In fact, his illustrations have been featured in Lürzer’s Archive multiple times, including the “200 Best Digital Artists Worldwide” Annual in 2013, 2021, 2023, and 2025.
Such remarkable achievements can be attributed to Big Al’s passion for art and advertising. His love for visual storytelling began in early childhood, nurtured by his mother, an artist who introduced him to drawing at two years old. At four, he was experimenting with charcoal, pastels, shading, and perspective. As Big Al grew up, print ads and radio sponsorships fascinated him. “I didn’t know what an art director was, but I knew I wanted to create full-color spreads like the ones I saw in Life magazine,” he recalls.
This fascination urged him to pursue a BFA in Advertising Design and an MA in Mass Communications/TV Production from Wayne State University. By 1970, Big Al had already accomplished one of his lifelong dreams—creating a full-color advertisement for the station wagons of a large automobile company. His second major goal was to work in New York, a dream that materialized in 1977. Big Al, joining top agencies like Saatchi & Saatchi, made a name for himself.
Big Al boasts extensive expertise, with 60 years in advertising (30 as an art director and associate creative director). In 1994, Big Al founded Boundless Creativity. This reflects a shift in his career from art directing to focusing on illustrating and retouching. The company’s name demonstrates his rejection of limitations in creative expression. Even now, Big Al is pushing the boundaries of creativity by integrating AI into his work and sharing his knowledge with the next generation of advertisers.
The entrepreneur saw the potential of AI-generated imagery as it gained traction. He then made it his mission to teach people how to prompt and expand their understanding of AI’s capabilities beyond the common trends. His expertise in advertising and design naturally made him an impactful mentor. He even co-wrote a book with Brian W. Sykes called A.I. Explore: Snack-Sized Prompts and $5 Words. The book provides sample prompts and explores the evolution of AI-generated imagery across different versions of Midjourney.
As one of the first enthusiasts of AI illustrations, Big Al has been adamant about ensuring originality in AI-generated artwork. To prove that AI is only a tool and still requires artistic expertise and problem-solving, he attempted to replicate Aydın Büyüktaş’s roller-coaster-like drone photography. He first tried to describe the effect he wanted directly to Midjourney but quickly realized that simple prompting wasn’t enough. He had to utilize his knowledge of photography, lighting, and camera angles and experiment in multiple AI platforms—Midjourney, DALL-E 3, Leonardo, and Stable Diffusion— ultimately DALL-E 3 was the only program that was successful. This proves that AI still needs a human touch to achieve intentional results.
Big Al believes that AI-generated imagery and videography will continue to evolve. He predicts that AI will move from text-based prompting to voice-based interactions, making the process more intuitive. In addition, AI-generated content will be embedded with metadata for transparency, addressing concerns about misinformation and digital forgeries. Big Al also foresees the rise of augmented reality (AR), immersive communication, and immersive entertainment, opening more doors for AI-assisted creativity.
“I envision that AI can play an active role in allowing us to interact and experience a commercial or movie,” muses Big Al.
AI illustration is only one facet. AI is bound to revolutionize content creation across multiple fields. The advancements in intelligent scene recognition, computational photography, and automated editing are only the beginning. AI’s ability to generate entire videos, scripts, and storyboards will likely redefine industries like advertising, filmmaking, and even journalism.
“In the advertising industry, utilizing AI has always had setbacks due to the issue of copyright,” states Big Al. “As of January 2025, we have the ability to copyright any AI image adjusted or edited by a human being.” This is a major breakthrough for the advertising industry.
Albert Gruswitz asserts that human creativity will always be essential despite all these. He believes that AI may streamline the process, but human intuition, experience, and artistic vision are still the driving forces behind the creation of meaningful works. His portfolio attests to this, inspiring future generations to embrace technology as a means to boost (not replace) human creativity.
To see more of Big Al’s work visit https://www.boundless-creativity.com/.
