How AI is Changing the Game for Graphic Designers (or not) – Interview with Our Company’s Best Designer

As the world becomes more digitally focused, artificial intelligence (AI) has become an increasingly prevalent technology in many industries. The field of graphic design is no exception, and as AI advances, it’s essential for designers to understand its impact on their profession. To gain some insights on this topic, we had the opportunity to interview our talented designer, Dragan, and discuss how AI has influenced his work. In this blog post, we’ll explore the various ways in which AI is changing the graphic design landscape and hear firsthand from him about his experiences with this technology.

But first, let us introduce you to our best designer! Meet Dragan Vidanović, Younify’s graphic designer with over 20 years of experience in graphic and web design. He worked in and collaborated with marketing agencies, publishing houses, graphic studios, and printing firms, so all the processes of graphic design, marketing, and printing are his expertise. For the last 6 years, he has been doing web design and was directly involved in collaborating with clients from different European countries. He is proficient in the core Adobe Creative Suite applications: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and XD…

Now, join us as we dive into the exciting interview with our great designer!

First, which AI design tool have you used/experienced?

Answer: “I tried many AI tools, primarily from my sphere of interest, photography, illustration, and chatbots.”

How user-friendly are AI-powered design tools compared to traditional design tools?

Answer: “A very important question is what we mean by traditional tools. If you think of the paintbrush or Airbrush that I used at the beginning of my career, everything has progressed and accelerated the design process… especially with the arrival of the computer as a kind of design tool, everything has changed greatly and accelerated even more. AI technology didn’t start with ChatGPT, but it has advanced incredibly fast in a very short time. I have to remind you that Adobe has been researching and implementing many AI technologies in its design and marketing software for about ten years and adapting them to the needs of users.”

Can you walk us through AI-powered design tools’ accuracy and creativity levels in producing desired results?

Answer: “Design is a complex and multi-layered method of creation. Research, analysis, making a strategy, and finding creative solutions are complex processes that a designer deals with. Brilliant design solutions will still be more in demand than some quickly-made AI creations for a long time to come. A smart designer will be able to use this machine assistance for a boring, repetitive, and uncreative part of the job, like searching for images, cutting off objects, or resizing documents.”

How flexible are AI-generated designs for manually adjusting and refining them to match better styles and requirements?

Answer: “If we think about the basic AI technologies that are trending now, a lot is missing. But the progress is already huge. I guess that perfecting the technology for a more personal application requires more time. The future, in my opinion, is the ever-increasing integration of AI technology into software, as the possibilities of its application are growing in that way.”

How well do AI-powered design tools integrate with other software and tools in your design workflow?

Answer: “We witness many tools already have integrated AI components that help us in our daily design process. That integration process will be even more complex in the future, but also much better.”

In your experience, do AI-powered design tools save you time compared to traditional design methods?

Answer: “Absolutely. If I had to do something in multiple steps before, new software functions powered by artificial intelligence make it much faster now.”

What are your thoughts on the ethical implications of using AI in design, such as loss of jobs or potential violation of intellectual property rights in AI algorithms?

Answer: “History has shown that many good man-made technologies invented for peaceful and creative purposes sometimes end up in a wrong and inhuman way. Everything, including the use of AI technology in design, depends on the state of consciousness of the people who use it. Someone wrote online: “Don’t be afraid to incorporate AI in your design workflow; just be thoughtful with it!” The way in which AI is used in the design is important, primarily for the reason of the potential violation of intellectual property rights.

AI will inevitably lead to the automation of jobs (which will lead to job losses and economic disruption), but creative, talented, and smart designers should not fear for their jobs. Throughout history, tools have changed, but creative work has always been done by smart people who were using tools to show their mastery and skills. AI is already here, and we have been using it in various ways for years. We have to be open-minded and use this technology to be better and more creative while leaving all the boring jobs to machines. No one will be sorry for that.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, it’s clear that AI is having a significant impact on the world of graphic design. Our interview with our company’s designer has provided valuable insights into how AI is changing the game. However, it’s also important to note that AI is not a replacement for human creativity and ingenuity. Instead, it should be seen as a powerful tool that can augment and enhance the work of designers, allowing them to work more efficiently and effectively, as he already told us. As the design industry continues to evolve and new technologies emerge, it will be exciting to see how AI continues to shape the field and inspire new innovations.

P.S. Here is photo montage of Dragan done with the help of an AI-powered software – Midjourney:

Awesome, huh?