Sophia Kianni on Creativity as the Irreplaceable Human Asset in an AI-Driven Economy

Sophia Kianni, 24-year-old co-founder of the AI-powered shopping platform Phia, argues that creativity and ingenuity are the single human qualities AI cannot replicate. She says “creativity and ingenuity [are] always going to come from a person,” noting that imagination distinguishes humans from machine-generated content.

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Kianni launched Phia in April 2025 with college roommate Phoebe Gates. The startup leverages AI to automate routine tasks such as data collection and content-performance analysis, freeing small teams to focus on idea generation. Kianni says her goal is to keep staff “in their zone of genius,” allowing them to workshop concepts rather than manage repetitive processes. The duo also co-hosts “The Burnouts,” a podcast that documents Phia’s development and has amassed over 900,000 LinkedIn followers.

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According to Adobe’s 2026 Creators’ Toolkit Report, which surveyed over 16,000 creators worldwide, 75 % of digital creators who use AI consider it essential. Of those respondents, 87 % report AI has boosted business or audience growth, while 63 % say creative AI has increased confidence. Kianni notes these tools enable “one, two, three-person teams” to accomplish work that previously required larger staff.

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LinkedIn’s Ryan Roslansky and Aneesh Raman contend that AI excels at remixing existing material, but humans uniquely imagine possibilities that have never existed. Animoca Brands co-founder Yat Siu expressed optimism that machines can handle routine production, freeing people to be “truly human” and creative. These statements reinforce Kianni’s view that AI should augment rather than replace creative talent.

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• “Creativity and ingenuity [are] always going to come from a person,” — Sophia Kianni, Co-founder, Phia

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• “ While AI is able to "remix what exists," humans are capable of "imagining possibilities that never existed before," according to LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky and Chief Economic Opportunity Officer Aneesh Raman.” — Ryan Roslansky, CEO, LinkedIn; Aneesh Raman, Chief Economic Opportunity Officer, LinkedIn

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• “we can all be free to be creative, because machines can ultimately deliver what we need to do on that side of things, while we can be truly human.” — Yat Siu, Co-founder, Animoca Brands

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• “much more authentic and fulfilling to be able to actually take our audience behind the scenes and have them learn in real time with us,” — Sophia Kianni, Co-founder, Phia

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Kianni indicates that Phia will continue expanding AI-driven workflow tools to sustain rapid content production and audience growth. She encourages other entrepreneurs to share their processes publicly, suggesting that transparency combined with AI-augmented creativity will shape the next wave of digital business models.

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