Artificial intelligence (AI) has carved its place in many industries, including the creative world of graphic design. With the help of AI, designers can create excellent visuals in record time.

Naturally, there are some apprehensions about using this tech for a creative field like graphic design. Some professionals are wary about AI taking over roles traditionally held by humans. But there’s no need to fret. AI tools for graphic designing aren’t out to steal jobs. In fact, these tools can be a graphic designer’s helpful sidekick. The best AI for graphic design will help increase efficiency and spark creativity while fully complementing the graphic designer’s abilities.

Benefits of using AI for graphic design

When used with a clear vision and goal in mind, AI tools offer plenty of benefits. It can assist graphic designers and business owners with various aspects of the design process. The right AI graphic design tools have the capabilities to maximize resources without sacrificing quality.

Here are some of the clear benefits of using the best AI for graphic designing:

• More efficient workflows

With AI, you can automate recurring tasks. This helps cut down time and energy spent on routine projects. Instead, graphic designers can focus on other, more creative, and strategic aspects of their work.

• Consistency in design

The best AI tools for graphic designers can ensure consistency in your collaterals across different platforms and devices. You can standardize design elements like color, font styles, and layout. This way, you can craft cohesive communications in all campaigns.

• Faster turnaround

With AI, designers can create multiple design options in a fraction of the time it would take using common methods. You can experiment with different studies and combinations to choose the one that can best help you achieve your goals.

• Cost savings

By automating certain design tasks, AI can save businesses money on design costs, especially if you’re working with a creative agency for your design assets. You can easily use AI websites for graphic design for simple works and mockups. This way, you can free up financial resources for investing in more critical creative projects.

• Better task prioritization

Simple photo editing tools can also be used by other members of the business. Beginners in graphic design can make minor corrections or enhancements instead of adding more work to busy graphic designers. For example, an HR specialist can add logos or watermarks to company event photos that they’ll use for internal communications.

AI tools can empower others to handle low-priority editing requirements. This helps free up more time for the designers to work on more complicated creative projects. At the same time, other workers can avoid the long wait times and promptly complete their tasks.

• Enhanced creativity

In an interview with CNBC, Harvard Business School Professor Karim Lakhani shared that small business owners can benefit from using AI. “[AI] is helping us with new ideas and considerations,” he states. And this is also true when it comes to AI for graphic design. AI tools can help you get “unstuck” by providing the spark you need to get out of a creative block. They do that by providing catalysts in the form of new interpretations or even randomly generated images.

Practical applications of AI in graphic design

Now that we understand the benefits of using AI in graphic design, let’s explore some practical ways to incorporate it into your design process.

• Editing

Editing is one of the most common uses of AI in graphic design. Graphic designers can save so much time using simple AI tools that can remove backgrounds of images for better, less cluttered-looking works. It also allows designers to enhance colors on photos to improve product shots and other marketing collaterals.

• Color selection

Choosing the right color palette is crucial in graphic design. You can use AI to make this process more effective. AI tools can easily analyze images and other brand assets to suggest complementary color schemes. They can even help generate palettes based on your company’s logo and style guide.

And if you’re starting a new business, you can use AI tools to help you build your brand toolkit. You can use an AI website for graphic design to create a logo aligned with your products and vision. From there, they can also suggest a color palette and other design elements you need for consistent and clear branding.

• Layout optimization

Aside from an aesthetically pleasing look, an excellent website or app should be easy to navigate. AI can help you achieve both by offering layout options that can help improve overall user experience. AI has the ability to analyze user behavior and best practices from all over to suggest the most suitable placements of different design elements, including images and buttons.

• Design generation

It can be difficult to depend solely on your graphic designer or stock photos for your fresh content. With AI programs, you can post consistently without piling on more and more work for your designers. You can take advantage of AI tools that can generate complete designs and new images based on text prompts—all thanks to machine learning algorithms.

Wondering what text prompts to use to generate images for your brand? Here are some tips to help you create the right prompts:

• Start by identifying the subject.
• Add context to the content by answering WH questions. (i.e., What is the subject doing? Where is the subject?)
• Add describing words. (i.e., excitedly jumping, calming cloudless blue sky)
• Mention the mood and aesthetic of the output you want. (Is it a kid-friendly cartoon version of a dinosaur or a realistic pencil sketch?)
• If you want to avoid copyright issues, avoid mention of characters, brands, or other copyrighted images.
• Example: A cartoon drawing of a cute and happy tiger sitting in a lush jungle.

It’s also important to remember that the tool is still learning. Try explaining what you need as if you’re talking to a kid or someone with no idea about your business or brand identity. If you have a specific vision in mind, take time to describe it simply and comprehensively.

• Template creation

AI tools can recommend a variety of artwork templates you can customize to fit your needs. These tools have tech that can analyze large volumes of data. This helps them find the most suitable layout or template you can use to achieve your goals.

Aside from cutting down the work time of designers, AI tools’ template creation features can also be great for non-graphic designers. From drag-and-drop to auto-sizing, the simple tools can also empower those not necessarily well-versed in traditional graphic design tools. They can be more keen to try their hand at simple creative projects and assign more challenging design work to graphic design artists.

Best AI apps for graphic design

As of this writing, the perfect or best AI graphic design website does not exist. Plenty of AI tools are available, each with unique features and benefits. And to find the one for you, you need to know what exactly you need help with. Here are some of the most popular and beginner-friendly AI tools for graphic design that you can try out for a test run:

• Adobe Sensei

Adobe Sensei is an AI-powered tool found in the different programs under the Adobe Creative Cloud. You can use Adobe Sensei’s features on graphic design tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign. It offers support on tasks like image recognition, color selection, and photorealistic editing.

Another valuable feature of Adobo Sensei that graphic designers will appreciate is vectorizing sketches. You can easily turn rough sketches into vector artwork, which can take much longer with the typical image trace tool. This tool is great for designers who want to quickly transfer their doodles and sketches from paper to the computer screen.

• Canva Magic Design

With over 150 million active users, Canva is a popular graphic design platform. This web-based platform allows customers to create a wide range of artworks for personal, educational, and business use. Users can generate almost everything from presentation decks to social media content with Canva.

Now, Canva is even more powerful thanks to AI features like the Magic Eraser tool. Before, when there was an unwanted element in a photo, a graphic designer would use their editing skills to remove that object. This process can take hours out of a designer’s day. But with the Magic Eraser, that element can be removed in seconds. Of course, there’s a catch: this tool best works on images with more simple backgrounds.

Canva has plenty of other AI-powered features that can be used to create the images you need. Features like the Magic Write feature, which is great if you’re at a loss for words but need to add a powerful copy to your Canva-generated image. Whether you’re a seasoned graphic designer or a newbie, these awesome, easy-to-use tools will surely be helpful. It also has the Text-to-Image feature, which Canva says this fun feature makes “finding that perfect image to fill your content calendar or visualizing a quick mock-up to illustrate your point” possible.

• DALL-E 2

DALL-E 2 is one of the most beginner-friendly text-to-image tools. While it’s not a program that’s meant to fully replace the skills and talent of graphic designers, it’s an impressive supporting player.

Using one of the best AI websites for graphic design is quite easy. You enter a prompt into the search bar. You can include specifics like the style of the image you want (e.g., pop art or impressionist style) to steer the tool in the right direction. After clicking generate, DALL-E 2 will provide four image options you can preview. If you’re not satisfied with any of the previews, you can tweak your prompt.

DALL-E 2 also has a “Surprise me” button, which you can use when you’re feeling stuck creatively or if you want something more out of the box. It will suggest a phrase you can use. You can keep it as is or customize it according to your standards.

If you’re not an early adopter who signed up before April 6, 2023, you’ll need to pay to use DALL-E 2. As of this writing, 115 credits will cost you $15. Each request or prompt will use up one DALL-E credit. So, it’s best to be mindful of the prompts you use to ensure you generate the image you need for the least amount of credits.

• Looka

If you’re trying to create the right logo and branding for your new small business, Looka can help! This AI-powered design platform helps businesses create a logo that’s aligned with your vision and brand. It’s a great AI tool for graphic design beginners, including those with limited to no technical graphic design skills.

You start with the logo. The platform will ask you to input your company name and select design elements, such as the logo styles, colors, and symbols. Looka will then use your input to generate unique and custom logo designs with AI. You can preview these logo designs to see different variations, from logo colors to fonts.

Another helpful feature of Looka is that it allows you to make mockups of your logo on different products. This helps you visualize whether or not the logo will look great on your future company shirt or if it will drown in darker colors. You can then customize and experiment with the different elements again to help finalize your logo before purchasing.

Need a graphic designer who can confidently navigate AI-powered design tools? Contact our Growth Experts to get started.

Additional tips and important considerations

While AI can be a powerful tool for graphic designers, it’s essential to use it correctly to achieve the best results. Here are some tips for using AI in graphic design:

• Don’t rely on AI entirely: While AI can assist with various tasks, it’s essential to use your creativity and design skills to create unique and impactful designs.
• Stay up-to-date with AI advancements: AI technology is constantly evolving, so it’s crucial to stay informed about new tools and features that could enhance your design process.
• Experiment with different AI tools: Don’t be afraid to try out different AI tools to find the ones that work best for you and your design style.
• Always double-check the AI output: You must ensure that you’re not violating any brand guidelines or copyright violations. A thorough check can help avoid plagiarism, errors, and other issues.
• Use AI to enhance your designs, not replace them: AI should be used as a tool to enhance your designs, not replace them entirely. Use it to save time and improve efficiency, but don’t rely on it entirely.

In summary

There are plenty of ways to look at what AI can do in the graphic design field. We can choose to look at it in a more positive light. It’s crucial to acknowledge that AI tools can make work faster and more efficient. But in the end, the AI-powered design programs will only still be as good as the prompts and how we use them. These tools still have limitations and challenges that humans must learn to offset.

And if you’re interested in trying out the many applications of AI in graphic design, hiring a skilled AI graphic designer can help. It’s best to look for one with the right design skills and knowledge of AI-powered tools. Because of this tech, different functions and roles are evolving. It’s important to hire someone willing to learn and keep up with the latest trends in their field.

Are you looking for virtual assistants who know their way around AI for graphic design? Claim your free consultation with our Growth Specialists today!