Will AI Replace Graphic Designers In 2024?

Since the release of tools such as Midjourney and more recently SORA from OpenAI there has been intense speculation of the creative industries.

It's easy to panic and think negatively. It's actually really understandable. 3D designers have spent years learning Blender + C4D to be outpaced by a 1 line prompt. On top of that, we're barely seeing the tip of the iceberg in terms of AI and it's capabilities.

So... what does this all mean?

Just like how early adopters of the internet gained a significant advantage over their competitors by embracing new digital technologies, today's Graphic Designers can leverage AI as a powerful tool in their creative work.

I think it's best to accept this revolution as for what it is - a digital revolution. It simply cannot be stopped now.

My perspective for the time being is to learn about the AI tools available. I have found multiple ways to leverage the benefits of AI for my business. The key is to balance what AI can offer without straight copying and being lazy. This is so important for things like copywriting in particular. The lack of human voice is transparent.

For Graphic Design in particular, it's extremely obvious when a design has been copy and pasted. A real designer will develop a signature style that AI cannot (yet) replicate. Until that time, the human input is essential and brands will suffer from not understanding this. It's a bit like the difference between using an 'online logo maker' or Fiverr instead of hiring someone who thinks about the logo, it's context and it's position in the entire market as well as it's aesthetic.

However, just as the internet did not render traditional businesses obsolete but rather transformed the way they operated, AI is unlikely to replace human designers entirely. Design, like entrepreneurship, is a deeply human endeavour that contains storytelling, emotional connection, and cultural resonance. While AI can streamline certain aspects of design workflow, it cannot replicate the creative intuition, empathy, and adaptability that human designers bring to the table.

My prediction is the saturated 'bottom market' (aka. people doing £5 logos) will saturate further and the designers who are experienced and talented will last. What a 'Graphic Designer' is and does will of course change. Exactly like it has changed and evolved up until now.

In the iconic SciFi novel 'Neuromancer' by William Gibson there are characters called 'Jockeys' who are essentially highly skilled with hacking and technology in the digital realm. I envision a future where the most skilled designers operate like AI 'Jockeys' and utilise the technology around them to it's full potential.