5 Reasons to Design with AI

(And 2 Reasons Not To)

AI (artificial intelligence) means different things to different people. For the proponents, it’s futuristic, efficient and downright magical. For its opponents, it’s dangerous, lazy and a hit to human creativity.

Designers are certainly among those with strong opinions either way. The artist’s heart might break a little at the thought of a machine replacing the human imagination, while the innovator’s brain whirs with the possibility. But whether you love it or hate it, AI isn’t going anywhere – so you might as well embrace it and make it work for you. Below are five ways it can help you work smarter, not harder; plus two reasons why you shouldn’t just jump in head-first.

The Pros

AI is a fantastic block-buster: When you’re trying and trying and it’s just not working (we’ve all been there!), AI can step in as an advanced brainstorming tool. Just pop a few keywords into the program and see what it comes up with; you can see ideas without spending the time to design them yourself, and you’ll immediately know if it works, if it doesn’t, or if it could be the start of something completely new.
It’s not going anywhere; it will be an important skill to have: Think of AI, just like Photoshop or InDesign, as another tool in your toolkit. It never hurts to learn something new, and if you’re the only one in your company who knows the ins and outs, that’s more value you bring to the team. AI needs someone to drive it – why shouldn’t that be you?
It can take small projects off your plate: We all have those little tasks that are maybe not the most efficient use of your time. Instead of spending hours on an animation or a mailer, let AI do the heavy lifting so you can focus on other, bigger projects – small time investment, big reward.
You can “train” it: The more you play around with these programs, the more they learn. You can upload your company logo and use it as the basis for color scheme and vibe, and you can pick and choose AI options you like and tweak them until they’re just right – and AI will remember your preferences for the next project. The more you use it, the better it gets.
It can save you money: If you already subscribe to Adobe apps or similar design programs, you may already be paying for this benefit. Take advantage of another capability and you’re making that subscription work harder for your money – that’s never a bad thing.

The Cons

Usage rights are still a gray area: You may have directed the program with a carefully curated list of keywords, but the program generates the image, sometimes pulling pieces from an existing artist’s work. So who owns it? That’s a tough question, and it really varies by program. Just as you spend the time learning the program, you should invest time into researching that program’s intellectual property rules and regulations. And keep in mind that things are constantly changing, so this is an ongoing time investment. If you aren’t willing or able to keep up with this changing landscape, you shouldn’t risk it.
It’s not a magical solution: Yes, just about anyone can learn how to use AI to create designs. But the key word there is “anyone” – the human element is still absolutely necessary. Context, spelling, the right amount of hands … AI isn’t quite ready to stand on its own, and still requires a human to review and evaluate its output. You shouldn’t lean on AI without considering that you’ll still need a human to drive it.

So What’s The Answer?

Use it – just carefully! Just like with everything AI-related, the design capabilities (and restrictions) are constantly evolving. If nothing else, take some time to learn what it can do – the longer you wait, the more there will be to learn and the harder it will be.

If you want to chat about AI with a human designer, send me an email at nlebsack@rmimarketing.com; I’d love to hear some ways you’re using AI for yourself or your business!