The Convergence of AI and Graphic Design

This is a hot topic and one that won't go away until this fairly new technology becomes a part of our daily routine. And it will because there is no way to put that toothpaste back into the tube. Countless articles and social media posts have been written about it, but it is a normal thing for humans to mull over subjects(at nauseam) until we understand/get comfortable with them.

I am not going to proselytise and ask you to rejoice in the light of this development and reach for the glory of the early adopter. I also want to understand it better. I have been using it over the last few months and I am pretty sure I just scratched the surface of what it actually can do for me and my business.

A bit of research on the matter reveals that it is more complicated than just a split between those who are enthusiastic and already embraced it fully, and those who claim that the advent of this technology spells a total disaster not only for many creative industries but for the human race as a whole. And of course, it can go both ways. So we can be either entering an era of bliss and creative freedom where all that is mundane in our work lives is delegated or one step closer to a scenario akin to Terminator.

Currently, the biggest concern is that AI is a threat to the creative industry. Many think that if things progress the way they are currently, in a few short years we will experience a mass replacement of humans by AI. That actually might be true, especially for low-skill work that, if automated, would free not only time but also resources that then can be used somewhere else. Which from the business perspective makes all the sense. 

So here is my take on it - I am not worried; I am cautiously optimistic.

The flood of AI-generated graphics that we are seeing now will only show the true value of design created by an experienced human. We are a sum of our experiences, and those create a context for any information coming our way.

In other words, what you are currently getting from AI is a superficial outcome that is an amalgamation of data and what is circulating on the internet(the good the bad and the not-so-pretty). For the design to have any power of persuasion, cold data has to be filtered through the human brain. A brain that not only has knowledge and a sense of style but also has experienced life in all its glory. So unless AI becomes conscious, gains intuition and instinct, and has empathy and genuine human experiences, we have nothing to worry about.

On a more personal note, I am using ChatGPT almost daily, and it has improved my efficiency immensely. It is a phenomenal tool that has changed my process. It freed my time so now I can focus solely on what is the most important thing for me - graphic design.