Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been the talk of the town for a while now. I remember the fiasco from chatbots that replied instantly. We have all texted Siri saying ‘I love you’ at least once in our lives. It hasn’t been long since then, but Artificial Intelligence, in a very short span, has embedded itself in our lives.
The technology first emerged in the mid-1950s. Some feared it would replace the human workforce in the future, but for now, we are safe. Artificial Intelligence is a catalyst that helps us with work. It is far from being as intelligent as humans.
But, as we speak, over 72% of people own AI-oriented mobile devices. Siri and Alexa are the biggest example and not to forget a smartphone’s facial recognition feature.
Artificial Intelligence also plays a vital role in design work. Wonder how? Let’s explore the tremendous potential of AI in design in this article.
1. AI stimulates creativity
The human mind’s creativity is the biggest differentiator between machines and humans. Artificial Intelligence helps boost creativity for designers, by taking care of some usual work that saves time and efforts for the designer to spend on idea building.
AI is like a virtual assistant for the designer. It takes care of the stuff here and there, so the designer can focus on ideas and creativity. For example, an AI assistant will help collect data or find relevant references for you. Or find the best editing software for you.
Adobe is already utilizing AI with its Sensei Stitch that identifies patterns in photos for patching.
2. AI identifies user preferences
Artificial Intelligence is the uncrowned hero for analyzing user behavior and preferences. What I am saying is that AI can explore what your target audience will love, even individual customers!
The algorithm identifies designs and platforms that users like spending time on. It provides designers with a pathway to follow, so a consistent, user-friendly, and effective design is crafted.
It goes beyond helping designers. Artificial Intelligence helps anyone and everyone in fostering a creative flare. It helps make designs by suggesting interesting tips and tricks for that added creativity.
Prisma Labs is an excellent platform that helps users express their feelings with a camera. Its Android version, Lensa, is a cheat sheet for designers. The one-button Photoshop helps edit photos for complex features easily. Some exciting editing includes face retouch, eyebrow shading, teeth whitening, background blur, and more.
3. AI creates multiple variants
Artificial Intelligence helps designers create multiple variants after recognizing a pattern. The algorithm extracts colors and patterns of a design and then creates thousands of variants, within the range of identified colors and patterns.
This application is extensively useful for designers. Think of logo designing, for example. Designers can identify brand colors and abstract patterns. Artificial Intelligence can then use the patterns to create various different and unique designs while staying in the domain.
It is helpful for designers when they are struggling with creativity. The numerous visual options available can help designers and clients make a choice easily. Also, it opens doors to creativity and helps designers with different color combinations and patterns.
The Nutella Unica design sold millions of Nutella jars. One algorithm created millions of combinations.
4. AI creates a humanized experience
Users connect with humans better than they do with machines. Google search trends show that people use the voice search feature as if they are talking to an actual person.
Most users utter ‘Oh, sorry’ or ‘thanks, man’ after the search is complete.
Artificial Intelligence identifies and interprets the way people engage with designs and digital products. It helps create a personality for products. Let’s say, Google is a kind soul that doesn’t laugh at your spelling mistakes. Facebook understands your privacy concerns and lets you hide your pictures from some people.
You can find this concept in ‘Ex-Machina’ and ‘Her’ movies based on the concept of AI and personality building.
5. AI brings a personalized user experience
Personalized user experience is the key to customer satisfaction. Platforms that make users feel loved and cared for attract and retain users. Look at Netflix. It recommends a series based on the user’s history. It also tells you why it is recommending the series with ‘because you watched Lucifer’.
It saves users from a lot of effort. Instead of going through hundreds of available options, the user finds the content they are interested in without any effort. It builds a strong bond between the brand and the user.
6. AI helps non-professionals
Not everyone is a designer. Not everyone can become one. With AI-driven designing platforms, non-professionals can easily design, without any hassle. Logojoy is a perfect example. Not only does it create logos, but it also provides branding material such as envelopes, letterheads, and so on. The AI-driven algorithm crafts solutions for users, driven from the data.
Platforms like Medium have amazed authors with their simple and easy-to-use user interface. The numerous designs and templates give authors an exciting platform to share their content. The authors can customize the template to give it a personal touch.
The Grid helps non-professionals design a professional website. It suggests designs relevant to an industry, so the user meets industry standards and exceeds expectations of end-users.
Will Artificial Intelligence replace designers?
Well, the simple answer is NO. Artificial Intelligence is a helping hand but it would not and cannot replace designers.
The human mind stands as the most creative. AI-driven machines work to think like the humans where the human mind is the standard to follow.
However, a lot of legwork and usual tasks will be taken care of by AI. I see the relationship between the two stronger in the future.
“Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Machine Learning – Whatever you are doing if you don’t understand it, learn it. Because otherwise, you are going to be a dinosaur within three years” – Mark Cubin,
