Is Artificial Intelligence Replacing Designers?

 AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we approach design. Even in the early stages, AI's applications are limitless. AI opens up new avenues for experimentation and enables designers to push the boundaries of creativity. Never before has one person been able to generate hundreds of ideas in just a few moments.

AI will remarkably change how we communicate with clients. No longer will their mental image and your mental image differ, in just a few seconds we can now create visuals for both parties to agree on... before spending all their money.

As we look to the future, it's clear that AI will be an integral part of the design process. However, embracing AI doesn't mean relinquishing control; rather, it's about collaborating with intelligent systems to achieve better outcomes. Those who embrace this technology and learn how to harness its potential will not only stay relevant but also thrive in a rapidly changing landscape.

 Let's address this page in the magazine I developed: Nourishmental.

I choose to focus on the interaction between mental health and nutrition due to the lack of readily available information. Unfortunately, this meant I wouldn't be able to find any of the visual assets I needed online, they just didn't exist yet.

(For this assignment, I was actually required to use completely original imagery anyway, hence why I took all the photos myself... but that's beside the point! This as an exercise after the fact to explore the future of design with image generative AI.) 

The following are what the Google based program, ImageFX, was able to generate in just a few minutes. I have included the prompts I gave and what edits I made to refine my output.

I have tested a number of image generating AI programs, and I have found that Google's ImageFX and Midjourney are my favorites. Here are some more generations from different programs using the same prompt.

I likely spent 2 hours getting that original photo. I had to purchase and layout the flowers, set up lighting and photograph, and then of course, clean up. In just a few minutes I was able to generate multiple different options. While some may not be ready right away, this tool is great for explaining your vision to a client and is rapidly improving to the point that one day it may out do the human created version. Designers must learn to translate intent of the client into action, and let AI do the rest.