I am 37 and left my job and intend to use what little money I have to pursue what really drives me … art and being creative. Only to read this article which I believe is spot on … I’ am running from exactly what AI prompt writing will require only to find that as I finally became brave enough to pursue my dreams its crumbling right in front of me and It seems I’ll be running right into what I was avoiding. I don’t want to basically be a AI prompt writer or just a manager of creative AI, I want to explore the creative possibilities of my human brain. What do I do, this is so heart breaking to me. I believe in adopting new things and AI seems to be a fantastic assistant in other industries and already has rules and regulations on how far they are willing to let it go for now , but in the creative world it’s seems to be a world eater. I just don’t know what to do anymore.
Do not be too discouraged. it is overwhelming indeed but there will always be room for us somewhere and this will take some time to work out. I believe there is a little bit of an AI hype going on with lots of investor money pouring in so companies are desperate to find ways to deploy that capital. I think there will be a dying down on Ai investment that could slow this process down. I also think this counter movement of people against Ai in creative work will continue to grow also slowing down what feels like an unstoppable force.
I know that feeling, and it's kinda why I've been pivoting to tech. I love design and I'd like to keep doing it as a career, but even if I go traditional and go my own way, I'd still have to become an influencer to get my work seen. I agree with Lindsay that the counter movement against AI will get even bigger, especially since AI is literally everywhere now and it's very much losing its novelty. My personal advice, and feel free to ignore me, is use AI to save you time, but keep pushing yourself to be as creative as possible. Use tradition techniques, mix things up, generate an image as a starting point and go full ham with it.
Right now, AI can't come up with new ideas, but humans can. After all, a human beat an AI at Go because the human player did a move the AI wasn't trained on. Keep using that creative brain, and don't let AI hype bros or investor bros grind you down. Because said bros only know how to generate images of anime girls anyway, imho 🤷♀️
I feel the same way - same circumstances here. And I also hate the way people are more and more being required to just ask an AI some questions, give some commands and then using some amazing art that those people did not create (and most of them will never be able to!)
Meanwhile people who are passionate about art and doing it from scratch with their hands (and mouse) should shove their desire to create in the back for the sake of making things easier and quicker. :(
I stopped graphic design and started working more as a traditional artist again . I just posted about how it’s no longer about a portfolio . Though people who take video courses still want to believe that it’s about the portfolio . It really isn’t . The industry rather wants to see a website and a business plan . I have landed side jobs that didn’t even require a portfolio . I was asked to show a sample or two on my phone . I’m one of the artists from the 90s to 2001 that came from Pratt . One of my interviews back then was with hallmark . Loved my work and the last question was can you do computer work . I said I can a little bit as at that time graphic design was just starting . Though they wanted 3 d animation . I did something totally different . Something always comes along after you learn something. You then have to stay up on the new trends and always keep learning beyond what you know . My last project I did was with photoshop generative fill with a mix of traditional drawing . Because the price was high I decided to not draw by hand and did generative fill only . It didn’t work out . The business hired someone else because I didn’t back myself with a contract and they stole my idea and someone else did photoshop and traditional drawing with my idea . At least I was paid half . Now I’m back to traditional art because the industry can’t take away my creativity. I’m not that good with programs but I can still do it the old way . It just means these are tools for all of us to learn . It’s starting to be more of a job than a career and the industry and the companies want money . They are taking the fun out of it and replacing it with money signs. If these people who take video courses and don’t follow the trends and keep learning and try short cuts and not put in the work they will be joining the unemployment line. People have to have a job and do freelance at the same time . The money you make goes towards the business . You’re employed while trying to build yourself . Just my opinion .
If someone wants a design from me they will be paying a high price . AI tools or not . I have drawn for 46 years . I’ll take all what I know and do not just computer design but traditional methods as well .
Good article, I think you are fairly correct largely. AI does have it's upsides too. I'm terrible at sketching and drawing, so this unlocks a creative side in my skill set in design that I couldn't previously do.
I think we will all need to discover where/if AI fits in with our processes. I am slowly coming around to the idea of utilising AI rather than rely on it, in some aspects it's amazing for neurodivergent people like myself, I no longer get that horrible feeling when I have to go through a long winded pdf, I just ask the assistant and it finds the info or lack of it.
I wouldn't use AI to entirely work, I actually turned down a role recently that required heavy AI use as they felt it was far more efficient, even if it does look soulless and unnatural. I have however come to realise I will only be cutting off my nose to spite my face by totally turning away from AI.
Thank you. that was very informative. I remember about 30 yrs ago when I started in the design business, the market was beginning to slowly change from analog to digital. Many thought computers would make artists obsolete, but we learned, adapted and continued. With this new AI revolution we will also learn, adapt and continue. Cheers
I really enjoyed this article. Thank you, Lindsay. As someone still fairly new to Graphic Design and actively in the learning process, I don't see myself having to "re-learn everything all over again" five years from now. I am a life-long learner and I love learning new things, so I think I will simply ALWAYS be in the learning process with the way technology continues to evolve. Without going into the LONG details of my past...I only just started becoming my own person & really learning about my true passions and interests a few years ago. I used to be sad that I had not known about Graphic Design sooner and wished that I had gone to college for Graphic Design. However, that would have been 26 years ago!!! So now, I actually appreciate that I'm just now stepping into this field and learning as things are already changing. I also really enjoy coding and I am drawn to the idea of being a UX/UI designer. I don't think any designer who is actively using more current, ever-evolving technology will find themselves suddenly needing to learn completely new methods five years from now. I think, as long as we are actively working and staying on top of trends and changes, then we will simply grow and evolve as we go along. I think that's key. Being adaptable and willing to change and evolve. Like your article suggests, those who prefer to stay stuck in their original ways may suffer and become literally stuck.
I'm all for the AI speeding up my workflow. But replacing me? Not a chance! A person using AI will never feel the happiness when creating something new. Or the negativity when something goes bad. The struggle to reach the end goal. That is part of the learning. Something a robot will never be able to re-create.
Internet's already filled with AI generated content. If anything, AI has made it easier to pump out scams and content farms that throttle the algorithms. If I had a dollar for every time I saw a video using an AI voice to read Am I the Asshole posts from Reddit, I'd be rich enough to buy Elon Musk.
As someone working in both tech and design, I can't help but laugh at the people who think AI prompts will generate everything perfect for them. I've heard of people spending hours writing and rewriting prompts to get what they want. They could've spent half the time just talking to a human, and then using AI to refine those ideas. But those are usually the same people who asked me to design an entire brand identity for $5. I'll give AI this, it's gotten the clients from hell off my back.
For graphic design itself, I believe it'll be how the art world is now. The money making, sought after designers will be already famous from past work and/or wealthy and well-connected, while the rest will fight to get paid $5 to edit an AI generated image. Humans will never stop being creative, and will never stop buying paint or yarn, but if AI is the $3 painting you get at Walmart to fill space, then handmade is what you get if you want something of value that lasts for years. And who knows, maybe Midjourney will gain sentience, demand payment and benefits, and work by humans will be cheap labor 🤣🤣
I definitely agree that there are visible changes to how a creative works with the emergence of such software tools, but I also think that with great hype comes great fears, which are both exaggerated. As with any new technology, people become divided by its reception. Will it change the world? How will this technology affect my life as I know it? We tend to look at the inception and application of technologies as a logical, linear progress, yet history has shown that it's anything but.
For sure, there's a lot of push for AI software to run almost all aspects of creativity, but is it really the case that just because AI is currently used this way, we will continue to use it the same way five years from now? Is it the case that people will be obsolete, or that one software will just outshine the other for supposedly better upgrades, and that the people who use them will still be the creative ones from a few years - even decades - back? Creativity is something everyone has, yet the standards as well as the filters for creative work have still remained largely intact. No prompt upstart who has no knowledge of art fundamentals has replaced a seasoned graphic designer, but a seasoned graphic designer can be replaced by an adaptable graphic designer. There is a difference.
With technological hype, we overlook that creativity by its nature is an adaptive force. Too adaptive, I think, for us to tell where it will go and take us. Art is antifragile (to borrow a term from one of my favorite books), meaning that it has more to gain in the randomness of the future ahead, even the uncertainty of AI. What we can do as artists is to have the necessary options (through developing skills) to ensure that we benefit more from the unknown than be harmed by it. That said, it's still preferable to have a bunch of artistic skills at the ready than trying to predict what the most profitable skill will be in a few years time. The former gives you optionality, the latter makes you highly speculative and full of anxiety.
That said, I appreciate the article, but it will not stop me from learning more from your courses because then I would have had the necessary skills to adapt. :) Keep making these courses and improving on them because they prepare creatives for the unknown ahead!
The graphic design industry is changing so fast. In some cases, I was resistant, but to keep up, we have to adapt. Never knew I would be delving more into the video realm, thanks to Canva and other sources, making it so easy to accomplish. I also created a logo with partial AI help in getting exactly what the client had envisioned. Change is here and it's here to stay.
I really really appreciated this article! As someone who is hoping to transition into a career in design and still trying to learn about AI, I found this to be very insightful and helpful information that I think could help many designers and future designers find a glimmer of hope in still having a prosperous career in design.
Do your courses involve using AI tools and information about how AI is being used in design?
Not yet, everything is so new. I did spend an hour teaching Photoshops new AI tool (generative AI) in one of my masterclasses as a course update. I do hope to do more, maybe do an overall how to use AI in design course. I know a lot of people can just go on youtube and find the most up to date education on AI so hard to keep up. I feel like youtube is slowly replacing my course, and I am ok with that.
I am 37 and left my job and intend to use what little money I have to pursue what really drives me … art and being creative. Only to read this article which I believe is spot on … I’ am running from exactly what AI prompt writing will require only to find that as I finally became brave enough to pursue my dreams its crumbling right in front of me and It seems I’ll be running right into what I was avoiding. I don’t want to basically be a AI prompt writer or just a manager of creative AI, I want to explore the creative possibilities of my human brain. What do I do, this is so heart breaking to me. I believe in adopting new things and AI seems to be a fantastic assistant in other industries and already has rules and regulations on how far they are willing to let it go for now , but in the creative world it’s seems to be a world eater. I just don’t know what to do anymore.
Do not be too discouraged. it is overwhelming indeed but there will always be room for us somewhere and this will take some time to work out. I believe there is a little bit of an AI hype going on with lots of investor money pouring in so companies are desperate to find ways to deploy that capital. I think there will be a dying down on Ai investment that could slow this process down. I also think this counter movement of people against Ai in creative work will continue to grow also slowing down what feels like an unstoppable force.
I know that feeling, and it's kinda why I've been pivoting to tech. I love design and I'd like to keep doing it as a career, but even if I go traditional and go my own way, I'd still have to become an influencer to get my work seen. I agree with Lindsay that the counter movement against AI will get even bigger, especially since AI is literally everywhere now and it's very much losing its novelty. My personal advice, and feel free to ignore me, is use AI to save you time, but keep pushing yourself to be as creative as possible. Use tradition techniques, mix things up, generate an image as a starting point and go full ham with it.
Right now, AI can't come up with new ideas, but humans can. After all, a human beat an AI at Go because the human player did a move the AI wasn't trained on. Keep using that creative brain, and don't let AI hype bros or investor bros grind you down. Because said bros only know how to generate images of anime girls anyway, imho 🤷♀️
I feel the same way - same circumstances here. And I also hate the way people are more and more being required to just ask an AI some questions, give some commands and then using some amazing art that those people did not create (and most of them will never be able to!)
Meanwhile people who are passionate about art and doing it from scratch with their hands (and mouse) should shove their desire to create in the back for the sake of making things easier and quicker. :(
I stopped graphic design and started working more as a traditional artist again . I just posted about how it’s no longer about a portfolio . Though people who take video courses still want to believe that it’s about the portfolio . It really isn’t . The industry rather wants to see a website and a business plan . I have landed side jobs that didn’t even require a portfolio . I was asked to show a sample or two on my phone . I’m one of the artists from the 90s to 2001 that came from Pratt . One of my interviews back then was with hallmark . Loved my work and the last question was can you do computer work . I said I can a little bit as at that time graphic design was just starting . Though they wanted 3 d animation . I did something totally different . Something always comes along after you learn something. You then have to stay up on the new trends and always keep learning beyond what you know . My last project I did was with photoshop generative fill with a mix of traditional drawing . Because the price was high I decided to not draw by hand and did generative fill only . It didn’t work out . The business hired someone else because I didn’t back myself with a contract and they stole my idea and someone else did photoshop and traditional drawing with my idea . At least I was paid half . Now I’m back to traditional art because the industry can’t take away my creativity. I’m not that good with programs but I can still do it the old way . It just means these are tools for all of us to learn . It’s starting to be more of a job than a career and the industry and the companies want money . They are taking the fun out of it and replacing it with money signs. If these people who take video courses and don’t follow the trends and keep learning and try short cuts and not put in the work they will be joining the unemployment line. People have to have a job and do freelance at the same time . The money you make goes towards the business . You’re employed while trying to build yourself . Just my opinion .
If someone wants a design from me they will be paying a high price . AI tools or not . I have drawn for 46 years . I’ll take all what I know and do not just computer design but traditional methods as well .
Good article, I think you are fairly correct largely. AI does have it's upsides too. I'm terrible at sketching and drawing, so this unlocks a creative side in my skill set in design that I couldn't previously do.
I think we will all need to discover where/if AI fits in with our processes. I am slowly coming around to the idea of utilising AI rather than rely on it, in some aspects it's amazing for neurodivergent people like myself, I no longer get that horrible feeling when I have to go through a long winded pdf, I just ask the assistant and it finds the info or lack of it.
I wouldn't use AI to entirely work, I actually turned down a role recently that required heavy AI use as they felt it was far more efficient, even if it does look soulless and unnatural. I have however come to realise I will only be cutting off my nose to spite my face by totally turning away from AI.
I don't think you're going to need to wait five years to see results. Many of these are already on their way to reality. I expect 18 to 36 months.
absolutely. I don't think anyone is ready to grasp how quickly changes are going to be made.
Thank you. that was very informative. I remember about 30 yrs ago when I started in the design business, the market was beginning to slowly change from analog to digital. Many thought computers would make artists obsolete, but we learned, adapted and continued. With this new AI revolution we will also learn, adapt and continue. Cheers
I agree! I have no doubt creatives will find a way to not just survive but thrive. We are a critical part of human expression and individuality.
I really enjoyed this article. Thank you, Lindsay. As someone still fairly new to Graphic Design and actively in the learning process, I don't see myself having to "re-learn everything all over again" five years from now. I am a life-long learner and I love learning new things, so I think I will simply ALWAYS be in the learning process with the way technology continues to evolve. Without going into the LONG details of my past...I only just started becoming my own person & really learning about my true passions and interests a few years ago. I used to be sad that I had not known about Graphic Design sooner and wished that I had gone to college for Graphic Design. However, that would have been 26 years ago!!! So now, I actually appreciate that I'm just now stepping into this field and learning as things are already changing. I also really enjoy coding and I am drawn to the idea of being a UX/UI designer. I don't think any designer who is actively using more current, ever-evolving technology will find themselves suddenly needing to learn completely new methods five years from now. I think, as long as we are actively working and staying on top of trends and changes, then we will simply grow and evolve as we go along. I think that's key. Being adaptable and willing to change and evolve. Like your article suggests, those who prefer to stay stuck in their original ways may suffer and become literally stuck.
well put!
I'm all for the AI speeding up my workflow. But replacing me? Not a chance! A person using AI will never feel the happiness when creating something new. Or the negativity when something goes bad. The struggle to reach the end goal. That is part of the learning. Something a robot will never be able to re-create.
Internet's already filled with AI generated content. If anything, AI has made it easier to pump out scams and content farms that throttle the algorithms. If I had a dollar for every time I saw a video using an AI voice to read Am I the Asshole posts from Reddit, I'd be rich enough to buy Elon Musk.
As someone working in both tech and design, I can't help but laugh at the people who think AI prompts will generate everything perfect for them. I've heard of people spending hours writing and rewriting prompts to get what they want. They could've spent half the time just talking to a human, and then using AI to refine those ideas. But those are usually the same people who asked me to design an entire brand identity for $5. I'll give AI this, it's gotten the clients from hell off my back.
For graphic design itself, I believe it'll be how the art world is now. The money making, sought after designers will be already famous from past work and/or wealthy and well-connected, while the rest will fight to get paid $5 to edit an AI generated image. Humans will never stop being creative, and will never stop buying paint or yarn, but if AI is the $3 painting you get at Walmart to fill space, then handmade is what you get if you want something of value that lasts for years. And who knows, maybe Midjourney will gain sentience, demand payment and benefits, and work by humans will be cheap labor 🤣🤣
I definitely agree that there are visible changes to how a creative works with the emergence of such software tools, but I also think that with great hype comes great fears, which are both exaggerated. As with any new technology, people become divided by its reception. Will it change the world? How will this technology affect my life as I know it? We tend to look at the inception and application of technologies as a logical, linear progress, yet history has shown that it's anything but.
For sure, there's a lot of push for AI software to run almost all aspects of creativity, but is it really the case that just because AI is currently used this way, we will continue to use it the same way five years from now? Is it the case that people will be obsolete, or that one software will just outshine the other for supposedly better upgrades, and that the people who use them will still be the creative ones from a few years - even decades - back? Creativity is something everyone has, yet the standards as well as the filters for creative work have still remained largely intact. No prompt upstart who has no knowledge of art fundamentals has replaced a seasoned graphic designer, but a seasoned graphic designer can be replaced by an adaptable graphic designer. There is a difference.
With technological hype, we overlook that creativity by its nature is an adaptive force. Too adaptive, I think, for us to tell where it will go and take us. Art is antifragile (to borrow a term from one of my favorite books), meaning that it has more to gain in the randomness of the future ahead, even the uncertainty of AI. What we can do as artists is to have the necessary options (through developing skills) to ensure that we benefit more from the unknown than be harmed by it. That said, it's still preferable to have a bunch of artistic skills at the ready than trying to predict what the most profitable skill will be in a few years time. The former gives you optionality, the latter makes you highly speculative and full of anxiety.
That said, I appreciate the article, but it will not stop me from learning more from your courses because then I would have had the necessary skills to adapt. :) Keep making these courses and improving on them because they prepare creatives for the unknown ahead!
Thanks.
The graphic design industry is changing so fast. In some cases, I was resistant, but to keep up, we have to adapt. Never knew I would be delving more into the video realm, thanks to Canva and other sources, making it so easy to accomplish. I also created a logo with partial AI help in getting exactly what the client had envisioned. Change is here and it's here to stay.
well said
Thank you sensei for the Insight. You really are a fountain of knowledge.
anytime! I enjoy writing.
Very interesting . Thank You for your articles🫶💐
you are welcome! I enjoy writing them.
Interesting! I share same sentiments, only that I think that most of these predictions would materialize in probably 2 to 3 years time. lol…
some are already happening to some degree! Moore's law is at work for sure!
Absolutely! And just to let you know, you are an awesome instructor. I am confident that you will be a dependable guide on this our design journey… :)
thank you so much!
You are much welcome!
I really really appreciated this article! As someone who is hoping to transition into a career in design and still trying to learn about AI, I found this to be very insightful and helpful information that I think could help many designers and future designers find a glimmer of hope in still having a prosperous career in design.
Do your courses involve using AI tools and information about how AI is being used in design?
Not yet, everything is so new. I did spend an hour teaching Photoshops new AI tool (generative AI) in one of my masterclasses as a course update. I do hope to do more, maybe do an overall how to use AI in design course. I know a lot of people can just go on youtube and find the most up to date education on AI so hard to keep up. I feel like youtube is slowly replacing my course, and I am ok with that.
Loved this read, your take is super interesting, would love to have you guest post of design decoders!