Can AI really design like a human? Maybe. But can it complain about fonts for an hour before changing them back? Doubt it!
When a discussion around AI and its potential opens up, a major part of it involves the fact that AI may someday leave everyone redundant and worthless. But is it really true? Is AI capable of replacing humans? Are designers more vulnerable to this phenomenon? Let’s find out.
The world is changing
To understand the relationship between AI and designers, let’s take a step back. In the past, while it was believed that artists would be replaced by tools like Adobe, it only made their life easier and helped them scale their potential and earnings.
Today, as we stand well beyond the edge of another technological revolution, some underlying skepticism is natural, and the universal acceptance of this change may take time.
An increasingly algorithm-driven world surrounds us right now. In the design industry itself, AI algorithms like DALL-E, Midjourney and Adobe’s Sensei are enhancing the capabilities of existing software. Generative AI has opened doors to more efficient creative endeavors, but there’s a catch.
Borrowed potential
While AI can get things done in a jiffy, it is interesting to see how it actually does this. AI relies on pre-existing data to put together results that match your requirements best. It is like putting a jigsaw puzzle together by solving a treasure hunt, only the treasure hunt takes seconds to complete.
All that AI is capable of is borrowed from human creativity. The results that AI presents are put together from data that was previously created by humans. Lack of originality is quite evident which means AI is not a creator but a mimic.
AI’s Edge
Even though AI studies data, borrows results and packages them (lacks originality), its efficiency cannot be denied. When it comes to mundane tasks and tweaks, AI can be quite useful, not just in terms of quick turnaround time but also because it is highly data driven. Its ability to recognise patterns in data as well as user behaviour makes it easier for designers to adjust their processes depending on the changes in the data. All of this is helping designers and creators make the most of the technology that is present while continuously aiding in the enhancement of AI’s own capabilities. Automating repetitive tasks is also becoming easier with such advancements.
Creating with a purpose
As real as it may seem, AI is still a robot. The results it presents depend on very specific prompts. Understanding a client’s needs, especially if the brief is something like, “Just make it pop”, requires a more human approach.
AI can suggest logos, typography and layouts but a designer goes beyond and understands the story and emotions behind a brand. Creating impactful design means you build something that provokes, evokes and resonates with human emotions, something AI cannot fully comprehend. A designer reads between the lines, creates beyond style and taps into important factors like culture, history, connections and loyalties to humanise the experience.
Ethical understanding
Humans are bound by ethics and morality. Plagiarism is not only frowned upon but is also punishable. Such boundaries do not exist for AI that is powered by replicating and mimicking existing technologies, data and content.
Designers not only respect ownership rights but also consider cultural appropriation, historical events and societal evolution, like inclusivity, while working on a project. This intangible yet important factor is exclusive to humans. AI is after all a machine that needs specific commands and can only work with existing data without understanding that which can only be felt intuitively.
AI can be seen as a turbo charged tool that enhances creativity and efficiency of designers instead of replacing them. It is quite effective in automating and scaling capabilities backed by data. Designers on the other hand conceptualise and bring life to designs by considering all the elements that humanise customers’ interactive experience with a brand.
Can such creativity survive the algorithm? Absolutely. In the end, AI is yet another tool to help designers achieve their goals, without taking away from the originality and life that they are able to bring towards their clients’ needs. For designers who embrace AI as an aid, the future is collaborative, and it is only a matter of time before AI becomes an essential part of all aspects of our routine.