AI in Graphic Design: Opening Thoughts

               Having just finished a summer camp on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Design, I was able to better see how students might react to using it and where to focus from a teacher perspective. To begin, this can be a very good tool to support design and creativity, but of course, its impact on replacing designers cannot be ignored from a professional standpoint. This is especially true as the AI becomes more competent in the future.

               Prior to the seminar, I researched various perspectives on how designers could use AI for improving graphic design. Brainstorming variety of concepts and a source of inspiration when stuck were two main areas of use. Brainstorming and quickly developing several different directions for a project was a popular use. A designer could quickly use different descriptors to see many different directions a design could take. Also, if the designer was not sure where to go, the random prompts could provide inspiration for images or text. Then the designer can take the inspiration to create their own work for the design projects.

               The summer program went well with the students developing many interesting and fun design pieces with AI and their own skills. Afterwards, I reflected about what I considered important aspects for future teaching of AI for design students. These are some of the aspects I would include in future teaching opportunities:

A – Teach good use of prompts with word variety, commas, quotes, or other ways to modify the prompt.

B - Be open-minded and try different styles and looks early on. What does an art deco prompt add vs a cartoon style or a vintage look.

C - From a design perspective teach them foundational skills in design to use with AI images and not rely on AI results as being good design.

D - Use AI for different parts of a design, not just one image for all of it.

E – Work with color in the prompts for mood or theme

F – Important to remember these are good for mockups but not final art as it cannot yet be copyrighted.

Areas to watch for in AI include:

G – Expect change as laws are developed and AI improves. Use of your brain keeps a designer employed and use tools, such as AI, for efficiency.

H – Do not get caught up in AI look. Just because some images are created that look cool, does not mean they are the best for that design.

I – Design for the project not based upon the tool.

J – Use your designer skills to evaluate the AI results and use the parts that are helpful. Discard the rest.

               AI is a tool that is here to stay. It is important for designers and design students to learn to use it. It is also important to expect that clients may try to use it to replace designers in the near future to save costs. Being able to show the value to a potential client of having a designer over AI is part of the new future. Designers also need to maintain an awareness of legal proceedings and laws in development to see how they can or cannot use AI within their business. Copyright laws are always a challenge, but now they have a new twist on does the designer develop the image with AI or does the software programmer get some credit.

               A powerful tool that we are still learning the environment and best practices to. Change is coming and designers and design students need to be aware of it.