By 
Artificial intelligence is a threat to the design industry
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the face of design as we know it. It’s a common belief among creatives that this is the beginning of the end of designers. You must adapt to avoid being left behind.
Stock websites have provided creatives with a shortcut for over a decade. They eliminate hours and hours spent creating design elements such as photos, videos, and illustrations.
Why never hear anyone talk about how stock websites ruin the design industry?
It’s hard to accept, but Time as a human resource is our most precious thing. This is a limited and finite resource that can’t be created more.
This is a great example. Imagine that you were to design every font, image, and illustration from scratch. Would you charge more for your work? And would it be better quality?
The answer to this question is no. The creatives in the niche of stock graphics generate millions of dollars annually. Why should AI be different?
I am not here to discuss the ethics and morals of AI. I want to focus on the facts and how AI can streamline our design process, save time, and provide the best possible result.
People who adopt and use this technology properly first will be “pioneers” of the design industry. This technology will continue to evolve and grow in both good and bad directions, whether we like it.
You will either stay where you are or go backward if you continue to hold on to your limited beliefs that AI is bad for the design industries.
You can either evolve and adapt or resist and regress.
Breaking the Time Barrier
In 2005, when I began my career as a graphic designer rookie, we didn’t have the stock graphics we do now.
The only thing we had was clipart, which wasn’t very good! Because I couldn’t afford an iMac, I designed it in MS Paint. My designs were created from scratch, using Google Images as stock images. I didn’t know that this was unethical at the Time.
My brother taught me how to use Photoshop to create logos and flyers. I spent a lot of time downloading images from Google, then photoshopping them to make all kinds of graphics and designs, primarily for printed materials like brochures, business cards, and flyers.
It was necessary, as the image I had in mind did not exist for me to download. I, therefore, had to create it.
I learned how to create web designs by painting images with Photoshop. After 17 years, 9 of them now using stock images, I wouldn’t have financial success today without it. It has made me hundreds and thousands of dollars and helped to build a creative company that has generated more than 100 million dollars of revenue.
Mark my words: AI will become a daily reality
Your creative flair can create something even better than you could have imagined. The speed at which information is implemented is one of the most valuable things I can see.
The streamlined design process is about improving existing designs.
MidJourney allows me to upload my original art of a man shooting out a roostertail from the rear tire on a dirtbike. I then have four different designs with just a click of the mouse. Imagine the Time saved!!
In Seconds, you can go from an idea to a real-world application
It’s almost as if you can think something into existence.
But be careful, just like Stock Images, AI design tools are only that: a tool. If it is misused and abused, then it will become noise, and there will, I assure you, be even more noise.
You will be perceived as unoriginal if you only use Stock graphics and do not add your creativity or flair to your designs.
I recently had a conversation with Wes Frick. He’s a famous outdoor billboard designer and has been sharing some fantastic AI art. I asked him about his view on AI, and he enthusiastically shared it with me.
“AI Art is a powerful tool for artists and clients to bring their ideas to life.”
We created 16 designs in just a few moments while I was on the phone.
Let’s make a few hypotheses here…
If I charge $250 flat for a design (let’s say a tee shirt design) and the client requests 12 designs, this project will typically take me a minimum of 2 to 4 hours. That would be 12 hours for $3,000. Divided by the hour, that would be $125 minimum. It’s not bad at all, right?
I am using an AI design tool such as Midjourney. In less than 10 seconds, I can create a unique design to get 12 equally good images. What do you earn per hour now? Could you reduce your prices, improve turnaround time or increase profitability?
It’s a win for all if you use AI as a tool.
The client’s most important concern is the quality and level of design achieved, whether done with AI or not.
A well-asked question is half the battle won
You will need to develop your ability to communicate with AI design tools. The more specific your question is, the better design (answer) you will receive from these tools. This tool will create the primary image of a Banana if you ask it to.
It will make you a large, green banana in a tropical setting held by a monkey and his monkey girlfriend. The painting that it produces looks like a 1920s oil painting.
This creative flair will make your design truly unique and memorable. This is the creativity needed to create something special and memorable.
Comments