How Designers Are Actually Using AI

I've talked to a bunch of designers about how they use AI. The reality is less dramatic than the headlines but more interesting than you might think.

The Brainstorming Thing

The most common use case isn't generating finished work. It's exploring ideas quickly.

Stuck on a concept? Generate 20 variations in a few minutes. Most will be bad, but one or two might spark something. It's faster than staring at a blank page.

I've seen designers use Midjourney for mood boards, ChatGPT for tagline brainstorming, and various tools for quick color palette exploration.

The key insight: AI is a brainstorming partner, not a replacement for creative thinking.

Automating the Boring Stuff

This is where AI saves actual hours:

• Removing backgrounds from product photos
• Resizing assets for different platforms
• Writing alt text for accessibility
• Creating variations of approved designs

None of this is creative work, but it all takes time. Offloading it to AI means more time for the interesting problems.

The UI/UX Frontier

Some designers are experimenting with AI-generated wireframes and mockups. You describe what you want, and the AI sketches something out.

Is it production-ready? No. But as a starting point for client discussions or internal exploration, it can save time.

I'd say this is promising but early. The best results come from experienced designers who know what to ask for.

What's Not Working

AI-generated designs straight to production rarely works. The outputs need human curation and refinement. Companies that skip that step tend to end up with generic, soulless results.

Also, AI struggles with anything requiring deep context about a brand or audience. It can generate options, but it can't know which one is right for your specific situation.

My Take

AI is making designers more productive, not obsolete. The job is shifting from "make the thing" to "guide the AI and make the final judgment calls." If anything, taste and judgment are becoming more valuable, not less.