Using artificial intelligence in conceptual design
Lately it's been hard to avoid hearing about artificial intelligence (AI) and its advancements. More and more, we're seeing AI-driven products becoming an integral part of our daily lives. I couldn't help but look into some of the tools on offer and explore what they can do. I wanted to get a handle on the capabilities of these systems and their potential in design. I was amazed at how these apps can speed up the creative process of researching or brainstorming ideas, as well as exploring other colour variations, and even layout options.
“Artificial intelligence is one of the most profound achievements of human ingenuity that has the potential to transform the world if we use it as a tool along with human ethical values and principles.”
Despite its obvious benefits, it’s essential to view AI as just a tool and not a complete solution in design. To get the best results when using AI, it should be used as a means to rework further, not as the final answer. While AI can create stunning designs with ease, it doesn't consider the context and emotions that a human designer can. Thus, it is crucial to use AI as a means to streamline the process of design and to provide inspiration for unique and imaginative ideas, rather than relying solely on it for design solutions. So, in conclusion, AI is best used as a tool to rework and improve designs, not as the sole answer to design challenges.
With the pace of technological advancements picking up speed, it's exciting to think about the possibilities for AI. Let’s explore them together.
Image generation
Designers seeking to explore and apply different artistic styles use image generation AI as an efficient way to deepen their creativity. With this technology, one can now explore various styles from a single original image, expanding their creative options and enabling them to experiment with new ideas and concepts.
Samples using Adobe Firefly
“Artificial Intelligence is the manifestation of a robot’s dream of what it means to be human.”
These tools may be user-friendly, but for it to deliver professional and strategic marketing material, the bot requires the right input. It is therefore imperative, in the case of strategic brand management, that a designer or art director is the one guiding the visual direction. At the moment of writing, Adobe’s Firefly and Open AI’s Dall-e are only available for personal use while it is in exploratory phase to tweak out all the kinks that remain. The great thing about Adobe’s solution is that it is built using their royalty-free stock image library. Once it is released as a paid product, it will therefore enable designers to use these AI-creations without needing to worry about copyright infringement.
Samples using Adobe Firefly
Layout Suggestions
With Canva's easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface, even hardened designers can experiment with different layouts, fonts, and colour schemes before committing to a final design. It provides an opportunity to play using the library of pre-made templates as a starting point. However, there are limitations to using Canva for page layout ideas. Using pre-made templates may result in designs that are not completely original or may not effectively meet the specific needs of the project. Nonetheless, by employing creative thinking and design skills, graphic designers can still make Canva a valuable tool for exploration.
“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.”
Mind mapping
I’ve been using Miro’s whiteboard for collaborating on brands for a while now. With addition of AI into the platform, designers can brainstorm ideas by looking up references and synonyms seamlessly on the same screen, without stepping away and breaking the thought process. This feature not only saves time but also helps to expand creativity and generate more refined concepts.
Stepping forward
AI technology is revolutionizing the field of graphic design by offering a new approach to generating designs and improving the process from start to finish. It can provide AI-generated images, layouts and keywords for inspiration that help designers visualise their ideas. By embracing AI as part of their workflow, graphic designers can unlock a new level of creativity and streamline their workflow to create amazing design work. As these technologies continue to advance, we can expect daily improvements and I look forward to seeing how the industry embraces it.
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