Alright, welcome back to the doodle podcast. I'm Evan Hollis, and as always, I'm joined by Jill. Today, we're diving into something that's honestly been blowing my mind lately—how artificial intelligence is taking the humble doodle and, well, giving it a bit of a glow-up.Hey everyone! Yeah, it's wild. I mean, doodling used to be what you did in the margins of your notebook, right? But now, with AI in the mix, those quick sketches can turn into these really intricate, almost gallery-worthy pieces. It's like, you start with a squiggle and suddenly you’ve got a whole landscape or a surreal portrait.Exactly. And the tech behind it is fascinating. These AI algorithms are trained on, I mean, just massive datasets—millions of images, styles, you name it. So when you feed in your little doodle, the AI can recognize patterns, fill in gaps, and basically reimagine your sketch in ways you probably never would’ve thought of. It’s a bit like, uh, restoring an old radio, actually. I know, I always bring up radios, but hear me out—No, I love this analogy. Go on.Well, so, you take this dusty, forgotten radio—just a shell, really—and with a bit of tinkering, suddenly it’s playing music again, but maybe with a modern twist. That’s what AI does to a doodle. It takes something simple and familiar and reinvents it, sometimes in ways you never expected. Sometimes it’s brilliant, sometimes it’s a bit odd, but it’s always surprising.And I think that sense of surprise is what’s so appealing. You don’t always know what you’re gonna get, but the process itself feels creative, even if you’re not a “trained” artist. It’s like, the algorithm becomes your collaborator, not just a tool.So, let’s talk about that collaboration. We’re seeing artists—pros and total beginners—experimenting with these machine learning tools. Some folks will sketch out a classic doodle, like a cat or a tree, and then let the AI riff on it. Suddenly, you’ve got a dozen wild variations—maybe the cat’s made of clouds, or the tree’s got neon roots. It’s playful, but it also pushes you to think differently about your own style.Yeah, and it’s not just about making things look “cooler.” Sometimes the AI picks up on details or patterns you didn’t even realize you were putting down. It’s like, oh, I always draw my trees with these weird zig-zag branches, and the AI just runs with it, exaggerates it, or blends it with something else entirely. It’s a bit like what we talked about in our “Doodles Come Alive” episode, where tech turns art into something interactive and unexpected.Totally. And there are real-world cases where this isn’t just for fun. I worked with a school design program that used AI-assisted art tools to help students who didn’t think of themselves as “artsy.” The AI would take their basic doodles and offer up suggestions or enhancements, so suddenly everyone felt like they could participate. It made the whole process more inclusive, and honestly, some of the results were just as creative as what the “talented” kids made.That’s brilliant. It kind of levels the playing field, doesn’t it? You don’t have to be a master with a pencil to make something interesting. The machine’s there to nudge you along, maybe even surprise you with what you’re capable of.Exactly. And it’s not about replacing the artist, but about expanding what’s possible. You get this back-and-forth—sometimes you guide the AI, sometimes it guides you. It’s a new kind of creative partnership.So, where does this all lead? I mean, we’re seeing AI-doodling pop up in design, entertainment, even education. It’s not just a novelty anymore. Like, you could have a kid in a classroom, a designer at a big agency, and a hobbyist at home—all using the same tech to make art. That’s kind of wild.Yeah, and it raises some big questions. If anyone can make “art” with AI, does that change what it means to be an artist? Are traditional skills less important, or do they just evolve? I don’t know if there’s a clear answer, but it’s definitely shaking things up.I mean, I’m not sure we’ll ever lose the value of a hand-drawn doodle, but the lines are definitely blurring. There’s also the whole ethical side—like, how much of the final piece is “yours” versus the machine’s? And what about originality, if the AI’s trained on thousands of other people’s work?Right, and I think that’s where the conversation’s headed. It’s not just about what we can do, but what we should do. How do we balance human creativity with machine-generated contributions? And how do we make sure these tools are accessible, not just to a few, but to everyone who wants to create?Big questions, and I have a feeling we’ll be coming back to them again and again. For now, though, I think it’s safe to say that the fusion of doodles and AI is opening up a whole new world—one that’s playful, a bit unpredictable, and, honestly, just really fun to explore.Couldn’t agree more. Thanks for hanging out with us today, and if you’ve got your own AI-doodle stories, send them our way. We love hearing from you.Absolutely. We’ll be back soon with more doodles, noodles, and maybe even a poodle or two. Take care, Jill.Bye Evan. Bye everyone!

Episodes

Doodles Meet AI