Exploring the Benefits of AI for Designers

News & Insights

Study for lobby feature in children’s hospital

In today’s digital era, where technological advancements are reshaping every industry, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful tool, revolutionizing the way designers bring their creative visions to life. AI empowers designers to explore new possibilities, streamline workflows, and unlock a world of endless inspiration.

Our team at Altitude has been experimenting with AI, using tools like Midjourney and Adobe Firefly as additional sources of ideas and inspiration, especially during a project’s earliest stages when we’re establishing a design vision and narrative. It’s clear to us that AI cannot replace the sophisticated training and experience, nor the strategic approach of a human designer.

Model by Bill Wallsgrove on LinkedIn

While AI tools are quick and compelling as thought starters, most of our experiments have generated images that are far too generic to be considered ‘finished’ and are lacking the more nuanced understanding of each client’s unique assignment, personality and brand. We are also observant of the ethical responsibility of using AI, similar to the way we’ve credited any contributor to our work, including image sources and photographers. No designer should ever claim another’s work as their own, and there’s a gray area within AI that the industry is still working to define. But, as the model above suggests, new capabilities come when we combine our human strengths with machine strengths. So we have found there are clear benefits to using AI in our creative process:

Retail center studies
Retail center studies

AMPLIFYING CREATIVITY AND INSPIRATION

AI serves as an inexhaustible wellspring of inspiration for designers. Through machine learning algorithms and vast databases, AI can analyze vast amounts of visual data, such as images, color palettes, and design patterns, providing designers with a wealth of inspiration to fuel their creative endeavors. Designers can explore AI-powered platforms, which curate collections of designs, artwork, and trends, helping them discover fresh ideas, unique styles, and innovative concepts that can be integrated into their work.

Studies for paving graphics
Studies for urban graphic mural

EFFICIENT DESIGN EXPLORATION AND ITERATION

Designers often spend substantial time and effort exploring various design possibilities and iterating on their ideas. AI comes to the rescue by offering intelligent design exploration and generation tools. AI algorithms can generate multiple design variations based on given parameters, allowing designers to quickly explore different options and iterate on their concepts without starting from scratch. This accelerates the design process, enabling designers to experiment with multiple alternatives and make more informed decisions.

AUTOMATION OF REPETITIVE TASKS

Designers frequently encounter repetitive and time-consuming tasks, such as resizing images, cropping photos, or organizing design assets. AI-powered automation tools can streamline these mundane tasks, freeing up designers’ time to focus on more creative and strategic aspects of their work. AI algorithms can automatically handle image editing, asset organization, and even generate design templates, allowing designers to work more efficiently and dedicate their energy to the core aspects of their craft.

Studies for donor walls

VISUALIZATION TOOL

Much faster than a traditional rendering application, AI tools are able to generate a general visual look or design direction. While not perfect or finished, these outputs can be put together with our designer-generated sketches and ideas to compose an overall conceptual design directional for client approval.

The integration of AI into our creative process brings forth a new era of possibilities, augmenting human creativity with technological prowess. By embracing AI tools and techniques, we can unlock new levels of inspiration, efficiency, and innovation. From generating design variations to automating repetitive tasks and delivering personalized experiences, AI amplifies our capabilities and empowers them to create exceptional designs that resonate with users. In fact, we wrote this blog post using ChatGPT. Just like our visual design experiments with Midjourney, the AI-written blog post required editing in order to add some specificity and nuance. But ChatGPT gave us a decent starting point, so we’ll continue to experiment with AI as these tools continue to improve. Embracing AI as a creative partner, designers can push the boundaries of their craft, achieving remarkable results and shaping the future of design.

Studies for retail bank light sculpture
Study for retail banking lobby
Study for retail banking storefront
Rendering of children’s clinic
Study for park sculptures