The pros, cons and what it means for designers [+ Expert Insight]

A number of months in the past, I examined a number of AI brand turbines and documented my experiences. Then my pal Michael Randall, a graphic designer, learn the put up, and let’s simply say he wasn’t thrilled about it.

“[Expletive] Emblem generator? We’re doomed,” he was proper.

I ended that weblog put up by clarifying that companies ought to use actual graphic designers when designing their logos to face out. And I stand by that, so hopefully, it gave him extra religion in humanity and our friendship.

That stated, I requested my pal for his perspective on AI in graphic design. So, listed below are a few of Michael’s ideas blended with my findings from different sources.

After studying, should you’re taken with integrating AI into your personal workflow, take a look at our varied HubSpot AI instruments to see if any may also help along with your subsequent massive marketing campaign.

AI Graphic Design: What’s it?

AI graphic design is strictly what it appears like. It’s the usage of synthetic intelligence to create graphics corresponding to infographics, commercials, logos and different types of visible artwork.

The emblem I created in my earlier put up with AI Generator is an instance of AI graphic design.

How will AI have an effect on graphic design?

In accordance with Randall, many graphic designers already see the damaging results of AI on artwork and concern that it may trigger extra issues for artists and designers sooner or later.

“Designers are below quite a lot of stress,” he says. “For the reason that pandemic, there was a change. The pandemic brought on quite a lot of freelancers and impartial enterprise homeowners to lose their jobs as you would possibly anticipate, however then AI actually began to blow up.

Randall says AI is seen as extra accessible or cheaper to enterprise homeowners than hiring an precise graphic designer.

“Making a model id for lower than $5 is one thing most individuals would bounce over hiring an expert for tons of of {dollars} — and the latter worth is justified as a result of graphic design is labor, however folks do not consider it that means.”

Subsequently, there are issues that AI’s promise of accessible, inexpensive and quick graphic design could additional devalue artists within the design business.

Nevertheless, some designers say the way forward for AI in graphic design is much less clear and possibly much less dystopian. In a YouTube video, graphic artist Will Patterson says whether or not AI can substitute designers is troublesome, and nobody has a solution.

“I can undoubtedly say that no matter your perception in productive AI – whether or not it is good or dangerous – to be aggressive and within the industries we wish to be in, we have to see it as a device that may make a distinction. artwork and the design course of,” he explains.

Patterson then developed new AI graphic instruments and platforms, corresponding to Adobe Firefly, which use solely licensed photos as information fashions.

“Adobe, fortunately, has modified the dialog to ‘How can I assist construct AI?’ As an alternative of ‘How can I make AI work for us?’” he says. “I do not know if we’re being changed sooner or later. I imagine we cannot be, however we’ll simply have to search out out.”

Benefits and downsides of utilizing AI in graphic design

The way forward for AI in graphic design is considerably unclear, however one factor that’s clear is that AI is right here to remain.

In accordance with Marq, final 12 months noticed an unprecedented improve in demand for AI design instruments, with search quantity for AI design-related instruments and software program growing by 1700% from 2022 to 2023.

Moreover, a current Canva survey discovered that 75% of world advertising and inventive leaders agree that AI is crucial to their artistic toolset.

So, designers and enterprise homeowners want to contemplate the professionals and cons of utilizing AI when integrating it into their advertising or design.

One benefit of AI in graphic design is that it will possibly assist artists pace via repetitive or tedious duties. Even my pal Michael discovered a use for it in his work.

“I work in structure, particularly signage and wayfinding,” he explains. “I take photographs and mock-ups of current areas. As an alternative of doing the onerous work of shifting an individual or current parts into a photograph I’ve taken, I can use Generative Fill to chop that work very simply.”

“That is it,” he insists solely The context by which I take advantage of AI is in graphic design.”

One other professional is that it will possibly make graphic design extra accessible to newbies and small enterprise homeowners.

For instance, I am not probably the most design-savvy particular person. I wish to suppose I’ve a watch for shade and a powerful sufficient fashion to know how you can match totally different parts collectively like puzzle items.

Nevertheless, my associates or different graphic designers lack the talents to create improbable designs like educated artists.

So, I profit significantly from platforms like Canva that boast quite a lot of AI-powered design instruments that assist me create featured photos, YouTube thumbnails, and high-quality social media graphics which can be straightforward on the eyes.

I am particularly keen on its resize and magic change instruments, which let me swap codecs, languages, and dimensions in my designs in seconds.

Nevertheless, one downside is that over-reliance on AI in graphic design may end up in supplies devoid of creativity or originality. For instance, I examined 5 AI brand turbines and located that every one of their designs produced comparable outcomes and in the end created impressed logos.

One other massive downside is that the AI ​​is flawed and may produce photos which can be, for lack of a greater phrase, uncomfortable. My colleague Ramona Sukhraj lately examined AI picture turbines and so they produced some hilarious (and terrifying) photos.

When to Keep away from Utilizing AI in Graphic Design

My pal Michael is fairly easy about utilizing AI.

“It will possibly solely be moral should you’re utilizing it to do a job that is not notably skill-based, you are minimizing tedious work, otherwise you’re utilizing it to do one thing that is unattainable for a human to do,” he stated.

In different phrases, keep away from utilizing AI to switch human work. As an alternative, use it as a useful device that helps designers work effectively.

So, what’s the way forward for AI in graphic design? Who actually is aware of? I imagine AI will finally turn out to be as frequent a device for designers as tablets and digital pens. However I do not imagine it is going to be capable of fully substitute actual graphic artists.

AI can create however the human thoughts does not host creativity the way in which it does, and we’ll at all times want the creativity of designers to create photos that may stand as much as opponents.

That stated, Patterson was proper that artists ought to use it as a device to remain aggressive.