Artificial intelligence is expected to play a significant role in the future of digital design. Over the past few years, AI has become much more advanced and is dramatically affecting every industry, including design. There have been ongoing conversations around the impact of AI and machine learning, and how they might change our jobs in the future. But what remains clear is that designing with AI opens a world of opportunities.  

There are already countless AI tools, such as image and illustration generators, which are redefining the design process and creativity more broadly. Designers, though, need not worry about their job functions because AI cannot yet replace the creativity, intuition, and problem-solving skills of a human designer.  

The human element remains immensely valuable in the design process due to the natural emotional intelligence that AI lacks. However, it’s been shown that AI can bring innovation to design by streamlining production, increasing efficiency, and helping to overcome certain design blocks. AI is set to unleash a whole host of changes, which is why businesses need to be ready. Below, we explore in greater detail how AI is impacting the future of design.  

Automation

AI can handle certain tasks much more quickly and effectively than humans, which will continue to be the case in the future. These are often repetitive tasks, such as image optimisation, photomontage, and re-sizing, as well as layout formatting. With AI tackling these small, time-consuming tasks, designers can focus on more strategic work, such as developing new user experience concepts and creating ideas for improving the customer journey.  

When AI and human designers work together, they can actively complement each other’s strengths, paving the way for better results. Automation will be the driving force of many businesses, supporting the manual work of digital designers. Ultimately, with AI, designers will have more time to spend on innovation, learn new skills and craft award-winning experiences for brands. 

Personalisation 

While personalisation isn’t anything new, it plays a critical role in enhancing the user experience. Today’s customers expect products and services to be specifically tailored to their interests. AI-driven personalisation is a powerful tool that can power growth and improve the overall customer experience. With AI tools, businesses can gather large volumes of data about target audiences and accurately assess how users interact with a product or service. This process will only increase further in the future as AI tools become more powerful. From Adobe Sensei to Designs.ai, several platforms offer a suite of tools that provide personalised designs catered to individual requirements. With this personalised approach, businesses can build higher engagement and strong brand identity.  

Embracing a creative future 

There’s no doubt that AI can aid the creative process and accelerate innovation. In the design world, artificial intelligence can pave the way for new software and design systems. There are website builders like Squarespace and Wix that have already included AI features that help users make creative and micro-design decisions. It’s now possible for businesses to create AI-generated art for landing pages.  

In the future, there will be more apps, sites and digital services that will be able to support the creative process. Design experiences powered by AI are still in their infancy. For example, Google’s AutoDraw – which has been around since 2017 – is an AI illustration tool that matches your drawing with a series of closely related drawings that you can choose from. It’s an excellent tool that can support the work of designers.  

There are also tools such as Uizard, which helps UX designers generate mock-ups to realise their vision. In this fast-paced world of rapid technological advancement, there are exciting opportunities for digital design, helping businesses elevate their brand identities.  

Take your brand to the next level with AI-powered digital design 

At TMWX, we have a specialist design team with expertise in building and creating experiences for brands in a variety of industries. To generate ideas and concepts quickly, we use Midjourney, a generative tool that creates illustrations based on text prompts. This has allowed us to deliver great work to our clients at speed, without the use of manual illustrations. There's no doubt that artificial intelligence design is paving the way for a much more agile and dynamic future.

We have a strong knowledge of human drivers and how customers interact with websites. That’s why all our work is underpinned by the Human Understanding Lab. It allows us to create genuine value and achieve our clients’ goals.  

To find out more about our experience design services, contact Steve Garside, our Head of New Business and Marketing for further details.