It’s hard to know whether 2023 will go down as the year of Artificial Intelligence, but it will forever be known as year AI went mainstream.
It seems like every day there are emerging technologies and advancements promising to completely change the way we work. Whether it’s Chat GPT, DALL-E 2, MIdjourney, or Adobe Firefly, AI has something to say about almost all the services we, here at Agent, offer. As a full-service brand and communications agency our offering spans across graphic design, UX design, photography, videography, 3D animation, copywriting, web development… the list goes on.
But the question on everyone’s lips is: Can and will AI ever replicate human creativity?
To find out, we sat down with Adam Peel, one of our Graphic Designers. Adam was the first to bring AI into the office when he got onto the DALL-E 2 beta test last year, and now he’s the first in the office with access to the new Adobe Firefly. So, he was definitely best placed to answer all our burning questions!
Before we begin, though, we should mention this blog post has a secret. Four of these questions were answered by Adam, and one was generated entirely by AI language model, Chat GPT. Can you tell which is which?
1. Have you already noticed the creative industry changing in the face of AI?
AI art is definitely being used for a variety of purposes in the industry. You see brands using AI to generate imagery where they may have once used stock, and you see a lot of more abstract work like album covers and posters. In terms of what I do day to day, AI just isn’t there yet. The briefs we work with need a deep understanding of the client and require a very specific output that AI doesn’t seem to currently be capable of.
2. Is this a fad? Or is it here to stay?
I can’t see a world in which this is a fad, but there might be a ceiling. For example, it could be we get to a place where AI is only ever used at concept stage before being filtered and refined by a designer into a usable asset. These technologies are evolving quickly, though, and it’s likely that we can’t even understand yet the types of applications they will be used for.
3. Do you see AI ever replacing creative roles?
Of course, there may be a time in the far future when AI renders certain roles obsolete. It’s definitely possible. In the short term, though, and for a while at least, all that will really change is the training/skills that designers need. There will likely always be a need for the eye of an artist to filter the work through, and indeed to write the prompts necessary for the AI to create.
4. So, can you see a world where designers need AI skills to succeed?
I think so. As AI continues to develop it will become an increasingly important tool in the designer’s toolkit. I think in the future, it could be that designers who are able to effectively leverage AI tools will have a better chance of staying competitive and thriving in the industry.
5. What do you think people bring to the table that AI can’t?
There always has to be someone to write the prompt, and therefore, someone who has to have that initial creative idea or spark. The future of AI has the potential to revolutionise how we create, but I think people will always hold the monopoly on the creativity.
So, there you have it. Adam does think that AI will completely change the industry, but still believes it will be people and graphic designers like himself running the show. But what do you think? And could you spot the AI’s answer in amongst Adam’s? Head over to our socials using the following links and let us know!
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