How is AI shaping the graphic design industry right now, and what’s the outlook for the future? Come along for a deep dive in this guide.
If you’re working in the design industry, it’s impossible to ignore the rise of AI. Many legacy design tools now incorporate AI functionality, and new AI-first platforms and frameworks are emerging all the time.
AI holds great potential for graphic design, but it also raises concerns about ethics and originality.
So how exactly is AI shaping the graphic design industry? And what does it mean for the future of graphic designers? Let’s take a look.
Contents:
- What is the role of AI in graphic design right now?
- AI in graphic design: top use cases and applications
- The pros and cons of AI in graphic design
- AI and the future of graphic design: will AI replace graphic designers?
- How to leverage AI for optimal results: tips and best practices
- The takeaway
What is the role of AI in graphic design right now?
There’s no denying it: AI is playing an increasingly pivotal role in the graphic design industry. With the rise of AI tools, graphic designers are finding new ways to boost creativity, streamline their workflows, and offer highly personalized designs.
That’s not to say that AI is replacing graphic designers. As it stands right now, AI is playing a more supportive role. It’s certainly changing some aspects of how graphic designers work—but it’s nowhere close to substituting them altogether.
The impact of AI on the graphic design industry can be seen in three key areas:
1. Generative AI in graphic design
With generative AI, designers can generate brand-new content in seconds simply by entering a specific prompt that describes what they want.
In graphic design, generative AI tools like Midjourney and DALL-E are especially popular, allowing designers to quickly generate images, patterns, and artwork. In this instance, AI is like a super-efficient creative partner—making it easy for designers to experiment with different ideas and styles.
2. The rise of AI-driven graphic design tools
The rise of AI has inevitably brought with it a whole new wave of graphic design tools. Long-standing tools and software like Adobe Illustrator, Figma, and Canva now incorporate AI functionality to automate and streamline certain tasks—such as resizing images or generating layouts.
We’re also seeing fully AI-driven tools and frameworks entering the space—such as Adobe Sensei (Adobe’s AI and machine learning framework), Adobe Firefly (Adobe’s generative AI model), Looka (an AI-driven logo generator tool), and Khroma (an AI-powered color palette generator).
By integrating such tools into their daily workflows, graphic designers are able to simplify and speed up repetitive tasks, freeing up time and energy to focus on more creative and strategic work.
3. Data-driven design and personalization
With AI, it’s now much easier to analyze user data, giving graphic designers unprecedented insight into their users’ behaviors and preferences.
For example, AI tools can help you evaluate how different visuals and layouts resonate with specific audience groups. Based on this data, you can make more informed, user-centric design decisions.
At the same time, designers can use AI to create visual content that dynamically adjusts depending on the audience’s previous behavior and preferences. This unlocks a whole new level of personalization, helping to enhance user engagement and build a strong connection with your target audience.
That’s the role of AI in graphic design in a nutshell. Now let’s dive into some more specific examples of how AI is being used within the industry.
AI in graphic design: top use cases and applications
As we’ve established, there are three main AI-driven trends shaping the graphic design industry right now: generative AI, AI-enhanced graphic design tools, and data-driven design.
Within these broader trends, here are some specific ways you can use AI in graphic design.
1. Auto-generate layouts and designs
Many of the most popular graphic design tools—like Figma, Canva, and Adobe Express—now offer AI-powered features that you can use to automatically generate layouts based on your existing content.
Such tools analyze the input you provide—text, images, or other design elements—and use AI to suggest suitable layouts, color combinations, and fonts.
Let’s say you’re designing a social media post for a new product launch. Within your chosen AI tool, you might upload the product image, add some text to describe the product, and specify your brand’s color palette. Based on your input, the AI suggests a variety of layouts, color schemes, and fonts for your social media post.
Not only does this save time, but it also enables you to experiment with different concepts and ideas without having to create each design manually.
2. Create logos and branding assets
Logo design can be an arduous process, but now there are many AI tools to help you quickly come up with ideas and bring your brand’s visual identity to life.
Popular logo design tools like Looka, Hatchful, and Adobe Express all use AI to generate multiple logo options based on your input. In most cases, you’ll need to specify details such as the business name, industry, and color and style preferences. The tool then generates a variety of logo designs that you can customize.
Once you’ve finalized your logo, some tools also enable you to generate branding assets such as business cards and social media banners.
This particular use of AI in graphic design is great for novice designers and small business owners who don’t have the skills, time, or resources to create a custom logo from scratch.
3. Edit and enhance images
Many graphic design roles require you to edit and enhance images—a task that can be fiddly and time-consuming. This is another great example of how AI can speed things up and reduce manual input.
Tools like Adobe Photoshop, Luminar AI, and Fotor use machine learning algorithms to analyze an image and automatically assess what edits need to be made—such as retouching, color correction, removal of background objects, and improving image resolution. The AI may also suggest additional edits such as applying a filter or adjusting the composition.
This use of AI in graphic design is ideal if you’re working with large batches of images and want to work as efficiently as possible while maintaining visual consistency.
4. Use generative art for creative inspiration
Generative AI has had a huge impact on the graphic design industry, especially when it comes to ideation and inspiration.
With tools like DeepArt, Artbreeder, DepositPhotos and Runway ML (to name just a few), you can use AI to create unique images and artwork—providing a great springboard for coming up with fresh ideas, experimenting with new styles, and overcoming creative blocks.
If you wanted to design an album cover, for example, you could use a tool like Artbreeder to generate several different concepts. You might then mix multiple ideas together to create a new concept or use the artwork to inspire your own designs.
5. Find the best typefaces and fonts for your graphic design project
Typography is a crucial part of any design project. It determines how text is styled and arranged, impacting not only the overall aesthetic but also readability and accessibility. As such, typography must be approached with care, and choosing the best typefaces and fonts for your project is key.
This is another area of graphic design where AI can assist you. Tools like Fontjoy, WhatTheFont, and Adobe Fonts use AI to analyze design elements within your project—such as color palettes and layout styles—to suggest complementary fonts.
AI can also generate font pairings automatically, enabling you to quickly find combinations that work well. This is essential for creating visual interest and contrast without impacting the overall harmony of your design.
