AI graphic design, and AI art in general, is a controversy that’s seemingly everywhere right now. The ethics of AI art are being questioned, and that collides with people (and business owners in particular), who want to simplify life. As a graphic design agency, we have been pulled into the AI controversy by proxy.
AI Art and the Artists
AI works by scraping the internet for images or text that match the request given to them. It then combines the elements of art or text to spit out what should be an original piece that took inspiration from hundreds, thousands, or even millions of different pieces.
However, artists – especially those who stick to a particular style – have been complaining that AI art is “ripping off” – or duplicating – their style, and the AI user is using their art without permission. The artist has not been compensated or even acknowledged for their work.
From AI images featuring sections that clearly used to be an artist’s signature, AI generators spitting out images fraught with the Shutterstock watermark, to artist’s accusing generators of actually stealing portraits, the art community is in a rage.
AI Graphic Design
In our particular facet of a creative industry, we see this less than artists do. We’ve touched before on auto-generated logos, which is as far as AI has infringed on us personally – thus far, anyway. Graphic design is a nuanced and personal business, often relying on a relationship built between client and designer. It makes the services we provide less prone to copyright issues from an AI generator. For instance, it would be difficult (at this point in time), to give an AI generator the information it needed to create a brochure. It would need branding information and also accurate information for you and your business, rather than using scraped information from every other business in the world.
As a web design company that also offers content writing, we run into it most with our clients asking about AI blog posts and other company content. Our clients often have a hard time finding the time to write consistent content to keep their website and social media feeds fresh. AI offers a promising outlet to keep their business current with minimal effort on their part.
A Graphic Designer’s Input
We understand the appeal. We, too, are busy and often weighed down by the minutiae of running a business. The thought of being able to type in a blog post topic and have it spit out a post for you rather than spend an hour (or more) writing it yourself is, well, pretty great.
AI graphic design, AI art, and AI content all come with a risk. Pretty much every AI company out there promises completely original work; however, the above articles challenge that claim. We urge any company looking to incorporate AI into their model to double check the work before posting and make sure you’re not about to come under fire for plagiarism. Even if you’re not the one who wrote it, a plagiarism or copyright infringement claim against your company could become a PR nightmare.
The Art of Personalization
What AI can’t produce is something personal. And by that, we mean something that literally has personality. We understand the desire for an AI blog post but also encourage you to insert your own personality into everything your business puts out. Consumers are intelligent, and only getting more intelligent by the day. Especially with a modern emphasis on supporting small businesses over large corporations, people like knowing they’re purchasing from people, who have values and ideals that align with their own. When everything is automated and gleaned from scraping information from the internet, consumers will be able to tell that your company is lacking…well…people.
And, of course, it is our opinion that AI graphic design simply cannot do what we do. We get to know each of our clients and understand their brand. We know their tone, their mission, and their products. We’re able to inject that into every piece we put in front of you. Artificial intelligence can only give you pieces of what other people have done, with little regard to what makes you special.
The Bottom Line
AI art and AI graphic design are controversial topics right now. However, as busy business owners ourselves, we understand the appeal of trying to streamline as many tasks as you can. As a graphic and web design agency, we suggest caution when choosing an AI engine and double checking that the work you get back is original. We also urge you to consider a true artist and to represent your business in a personable way. Ultimately, the decision is up to you.
