Hi all, im doing some research on the intersection of AI and design, I would love to hear your thoughts!
Have you checked out this whole GDF section?
Plenty of opinions in there. 
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Thanks!
I anticipate huge disruptions with difficult-to-anticipate good and bad consequences in the long-term of ten-plus years. I doubt the profession of graphic design will be recognizable in 15 years.
During the medium term of three to ten years, I see increasing reliance on AI tools for various graphic design purposes that will present opportunities and threats for graphic designers. In general, I think the field will shrink. For example, companies will increasingly rely on AI-inspired marketing solutions with DIY implementation â especially small- and medium-sized businesses.
In the one-to-three-year short term, I suspect weâll see a growing number of AI tools added to already existing design software and the emergence of new AI software apps. AI has already adversely affected the remaining jobs for illustrators (which were already crippled by digital photography). Canva-like online services will continue to improve their AI capabilities, which will probably eliminate the need for some designers in companies that assume anyone with a little training can use Canva or its equivalent.
I wrote another post a while ago on another forum and Iâve thought about this a lot, this is a much longer post than Iâve ever written about AI and design, but the more I write about and see questions and reply the more I think about how tech has evolved
The design and printing industry has always evolved alongside technological advancements, often facing disruption and resistance before ultimately adapting. In the 1970s and 1980s, professional typesetting relied on phototypesetting machines like the Compugraphic (defunct 1988), Linotype, and Berthold systems, replacing older hot-metal typesetting. Designers worked with paste-up techniques, manually cutting and arranging type output onto layout boards before sending them to print. Offset lithography dominated, while letterpress declined, and early laser typesetting began emerging. The late '80s and early '90s saw a seismic shift with desktop publishing, Appleâs Macintosh, PostScript, and Aldus PageMaker revolutionised design, making typesetting and layout fully digital. Each of these innovations initially sparked fear, just as AI does today, but they ultimately streamlined workflows, increased accessibility, and elevated the role of the designer.
When I started in the printing business in 1997, design had already transitioned to computers. But I was fortunate enough to work alongside the older generation who had firsthand experience with the pre-digital era. In their day, design was a highly manual and skilful art. I remember them discussing how, when computers were introduced, it felt like the end of the profession. For some, it was, the ones who didnât adapt found themselves left behind.
But for those who embraced the technology, it became another tool in their arsenal. Many of them worked until retirement, learning new software and evolving with the industry. This wasnât just a transition from manual to digital design, it was part of a much broader shift. The process of creating print-ready materials moved from manually etching plates to using film, then to direct-to-plate, and now, increasingly, direct-to-digital printing. Each stage of this evolution brought fears of obsolescence, but in reality, it created new opportunities for those who adapted.
The same concerns arose when digital photography disrupted the industry. I worked as a Drum Scanner Operator, a role that is now virtually obsolete. Yet, while traditional scanning and film development disappeared, photography itself didnât die, it transformed. First, stock imagery made a major impact, shifting from physical books and CD collections to vast online libraries. But today, we see a renewed emphasis on authenticity, with companies seeking original, unique photography instead of generic stock images. The value of the photographer hasnât vanished, itâs just changed shape.
Then thereâs software evolution. QuarkXPress was once the industry standard, but Adobeâs all-in-one suite changed everything. InDesign overtook Quark not just because it was new, but because it integrated seamlessly with Photoshop and Illustrator, streamlining workflows. Today, we see free and affordable alternatives like Canva and Affinity entering the market. Many feared tools like Canva would eliminate the need for designers, but in reality, theyâve mostly changed who hires professional designers. Small businesses that never would have paid for design work now have DIY options, while companies looking for high-quality, strategic branding still turn to professionals.
This pattern has played out time and time again. The printing press put scribes out of work, but it also fueled the spread of literacy and new professions in publishing. The introduction of desktop publishing threatened traditional typesetting, but it also opened doors for independent designers and print businesses. Computers were supposed to bring the âpaperless office,â yet paper consumption increased. Every major innovation comes with doomsday predictions, yet we consistently find ways to integrate new technology while preserving the core value of skilled professionals.
AI is simply the next chapter in the long history of technology transforming design. Just as Photoshop automated manual retouching, digital typesetting replaced letterpress, and film gave way to digital photography, AI will automate repetitive tasks and streamline workflows. Each of these shifts was disruptive, sparking fears about the future of design, yet they ultimately democratized creativity and increased efficiency.
AI wonât replace the creative spark of designers, it will enhance it. The real question isnât whether AI is good or bad, but how we choose to work with it. Those who adapt, learn, and integrate AI into their workflow will thrive, just as those who embraced past innovations did.
Moreover, this transition is part of a broader trend where design tools evolve to become more accessible. The proliferation of platforms like Canvaâs Magic Studio and updates in software such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator echo past moments of disruption that eventually opened the door for non-experts to create professional-quality work. This democratization doesnât dilute the craft; it shifts the role of the designer toward curating, refining, and adding that uniquely human touch to ideas that AI helps to bring to life.
Itâs a reminder that every technological shift in design, from the introduction of computers in the '90s to todayâs AI, has been met with both apprehension and opportunity, and history shows us that adaptation and innovation always prevail.
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With every jump in technology, those of us in the printing field are left to cope with the mess. 
It also seems, with each jump, things go from being great to being âgood enough.â
âWe want to use this low-rez image,â says the client. Up-rezzing with AI introduces artifacts of its own, but it is now âgood enoughâ to use, even if not quite representational of the original.
To my world view, AI introduces an ever growing bit of skepticism to every image I see. Especially those used in a provocative way.
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I just had a client send me a food truck design created in AI.
I had to explain to him the design process involved to re-create the design in illustrator and the difference between raster and vector and how the whole vehicle wrapping process is done with vinyl.
He still wanted it, and I charged him accordingly for my time.
So Iâm prepared for more clients presenting me with AI ideas moving forward.
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