As AI technology continues to advance, there’s been a lot of talk about how it will impact different industries. One area that’s obviously close to my heart is the field of graphic design. With the rise in popularity of platforms like ChatGPT, some people are beginning to wonder if these AI tools will eventually start to replace graphic designers.

First, let’s talk about what ChatGPT is and how it’s being used.

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is a large language model that’s been trained on a massive amount of text data. It’s able to understand natural language and respond in a way that’s similar to how a human would. This makes it a powerful tool for tasks like language translation, writing, and content creation such as blog articles and social media posts.

It’s like having a virtual friend who you can talk to, but instead of a human, it’s a computer. The cool thing about ChatGPT is that it’s been trained on a ton of different conversations and texts from the internet, so it can understand and respond to a wide range of topics and styles of conversation.

Think of it like this, you know how you have a friend who’s really good at giving advice about relationships, and another friend who’s an expert on sports? ChatGPT is like having all of your friends rolled into one, but instead of just giving you advice, it can also hold a conversation with you about anything you want to talk about.

What does this have to do with graphic design?

When it comes to graphic design, there are a few ways that ChatGPT and other AI platforms are already being used. For example, some companies are using AI to generate basic design templates or to create simple graphics for social media posts. Others are using AI to analyse data and generate infographics or charts. I’ve personally played with Playground AI to generate images from scratch using word prompts that produced fairly mixed results.

While these tools can be helpful for certain tasks, it’s important to remember that they’re not designed to replace graphic designers. Graphic design is an art form, and it requires a level of creativity and skill that simply can’t be replicated by a computer algorithm. Graphic designers bring their own unique perspective and style to a project, and that’s something that can’t be replicated by an AI tool.

Think of it this way: if you’re a fan of the HBO series “Westworld”, you may have seen the episode where the androids are making art. They have been programmed to make art but it’s not original, it’s just a copy of something that someone has already created. Similarly, while AI can create designs, it’s not going to be as unique or creative as something created by a human.

Ok so how will AI and graphic designers work?

I believe instead, AI tools will support graphic designers in a variety of ways, rather than replacing them. One way is by automating repetitive tasks, such as image resizing, colour correction, and image manipulation like background removal, allowing designers to focus on more creative tasks.

Another way is by providing designers with access to vast amounts of data and information, such as design trends, colour palettes, and typography options. This can help to inspire new ideas and improve the overall design process.

AI tools can also be used to generate design variations, which can be a valuable tool for designers when working on projects with tight deadlines or when trying to come up with multiple design options to present to a client.

While AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful for certain tasks, I don’t think they’re going to replace graphic designers for quite a while. Original design still requires human supervision, that’s why the AI tools are just a tool, they can facilitate the designer’s work but they can’t replace the designer’s creativity and vision. So, if you’re a graphic designer, don’t worry, you’re not going to be replaced by a robot anytime soon.