How designers can beat AI at design

Sometimes all it takes is a human touch to stand out from a sea of sameness.

In my previous article, I delved deep into the captivating world of design mindsets and championed designers as the unsung heroes of the AI-design age. However, I received a handful of responses that echoed a common concern: What if organizations favor AI algorithms for their lightning-fast design variations, cost savings, and heightened efficiency?

Welcome to the digital era, where organizations demand design solutions that are as plentiful and budget-friendly as the endless collection of cat videos online. Regrettably, this mindset is prevalent in professional services, where clients prioritize the cost and quantity of output rather than the quality. The implications on designers are disheartening, as our hard work and sacrifices may seem meaningless when AI can effortlessly generate “decent” solutions with a simple algorithmic tap. Why exhaust ourselves when anyone can use AI to design something comparable?

But here’s the scoop, my creative comrades: in the world of computational design, there are two opposing camps: the outcome-oriented and the process-oriented. The former prioritizes the shiny end product, while the latter skillfully refines AI-generated designs to create tailor-made and unique outcomes, like a unicorn’s dance routine. During a Cornell Tech @ Bloomberg interview with Scott Belsky, Chief Product Officer at Adobe, he highlighted that the majority of us fall somewhere on the outcome-to-process-oriented spectrum.

Hence, it won’t be long before people realize outcome-oriented design lacks soul, context, and genuine connection with audiences. To stand out from the AI-driven masses, we naturally lean toward the process-oriented side. To prepare for this shift, here are some tips for designers to reclaim our power by infusing human touches, unleashing our creativity, and reintroducing the artistry that distinguishes our work from algorithm-driven design monoculture.

Tip №1: Designing the details

We’re all familiar with this timeless saying: “The devil is in the details.” And in the realm of design, those details are what truly distinguish the good from the extraordinary. Just…