AI took my job

everyone saying graphic design is finished and they are RIGHT. AI took my job. now, i don’t know what to do. OR do i?

nowadays, almost every design can made by ai typography, social media and even sports graphics now everybody on internet saying “graphic designers will be replaced by AI” lets not forget this. it is a tool. yes, BUT it is very complex and it is almost an asisstant now. in fact, it is like an intern if you learn how to use it and teach it some stuff. it can learn and remember your brand’s values, assets and use those information now. of course, it still has not mastered most of the important skills such as typography, hierarchy, spacing and layout but soon, it probably will. and of course, it is still too generic and predictible. it has no emotions and these problems may even can’t be solved by AI developers BUT these days, m any small companies or low budget project owners do not care about it. they just want to finish the job. so, this is the part you have to decide what you are going to do. what I am going to do? we have two choices. i’ll get to those choices but first, i want you to take a quick time travel.

WHAT IS GRAPHIC DESIGN? WHEN IT STARTED? WHAT DESIGNERS DID THROUGH HISTORY?

graphic design is a communication tool. it combines imagery, typography, color and layout. you can see it everywhere. logos, posters, billboards, shops, packages, websites. the goal is not only looking nice but also being understandable and delivering a message. if you really dig deep into history, people already were “designing” before it is a thing. cavemen paintings were telling a story. the egyptian hieroglyphs, roman inscriptions… they are not called graphic design but they are communicating through visuals. the biggest turning point is of course the invention of printing machines by gutenberg in 1400s. it made possible mass communication. typograhpy became a main discipline. in 1800s, this mass communication became more important and more commercial. posters, ads and packaging designs exploded. in the first half 20th century, graphic design had evolved once again thanks to bauhaus and other movements. and finally, roughly 40 years ago, design became digital. it is evolving faster than ever. currently, we are experiencing the next milestone. the AI era. now, everyone can became a “graphic designer”. right? but, how people that we can call “designers” of their age, reacted to these inventions, movements? let’s walkthrough history. monks & scribes saw printing press as a threat copying books by hand was a respected craft printing felt “cheap” and less sacred. sounds familiar? on the other hand, early typographhers tried to mimic handwritten manuscripts blackletter fonts came from this in the 1800s anti-industrial designers hated mass production aesthetics. they believed believed design lost its soul. sounds familiar? again? with the invention of photoshop, some designers thought “computer design isn’t real design” while the others like david carson broke all the rules and exploid a new wave.

every major invention creates the SAME 4 reactions:

-resistance “this will ruin design”

-imitation “let’s make new tech look like the old world”

-experimentation “what happens if we break everything?”

-integraxtion “ok this is the new normal — let’s master it”

now, we are in the AI era and i’ve mentioned that we, graphic designers have two choice.

1 - FEAR and FIGHT WITH IT and lose. worry about it. ignore it and quit job. or get fired. this is your first option. OR just like the entire history of designers.

2- ADAPT IT, WORK WITH IT and LEVEL UP use AI to speed up your workflow, generate ideas, scale your content. become a “director” from a “maker”.

we, creative people always find a way to improve and move on. of course, do not identify yourself as an “AI designer” which is very DUMB. but use it as much as you can without losing your soul. in every project, try to show your vision.try to be original, yourself. do not be generic. but use that too. it is a really useful tool. sure, there will be companies that completely use “AI” but i think it is a wrong approach too. so, eventually you have the keep going on. because many beginner level graphic design jobs will dissapear thanks to AI.

in summary, the key takeaways are: graphic design is not about photoshop, ai, or machines. it is about designers. directors. it is about understanding the tool and purpose. yes, ai took our job, mostly. but this doesn’t mean we can’t produce and design no longer. develop your workflow with ai. but also, don’t forget to develop your taste. we are not just “designers” anymore.