AI is having a profound impact on the design industry, and it is likely that we will see even more innovative and creative uses of this technology in the years to come. Design agencies that embrace AI will be well-positioned to succeed in the future.
(Image Credit: Jeff Han)
As AI continues to develop, it is likely that we will see even more innovative and creative uses of this technology in the design industry. For example, AI could be used to create designs that are more responsive to the environment or to create designs that are more personalised to the individual customer. A recent study by the MIT Media Lab found that AI could be used to create designs that are 10% more efficient and effective than those created by humans.
AI is being used by design agencies in a variety of ways. For example, AI is being used to automate tasks such as creating mood boards, generating colour palettes, and visualising specific and obscure ideas. AI is also being used to generate new ideas for designs by analysing large datasets of images, text, and code. It is also being used to improve the design process by identifying potential problems and making recommendations for improvement. By understanding the individual’s preferences, AI can help tailor more personalised experiences in a more agile and on-demand way.
As leading graphic designer Paula Scher of Pentagram said, “AI is the future of design. It will allow us to create more innovative and user-friendly designs, and it will free us up to focus on the more creative aspects of our work.” These findings suggest that the future of AI in design is bright.
QR codes have long been used as a means of storing and sharing information. However, recent advances in Artificial Intelligence have opened up new possibilities for the use of QR codes in art and design.
In a recent project, Reddit user ‘nhciao’ used the AI image-generator, Stable Diffusion, to create a series of artistic QR codes. These codes reflect artistic styles found in anime and Asian art, with images depicting flowers, landscapes, and humans. The codes are created by feeding existing QR codes into Stable Diffusion and then synthesizing an image around them. The QR codes’ inherent error-correction feature allows Stable Diffusion to blend in picture details, making the codes both functional and visually appealing.
This project demonstrates the potential of AI to be used as a tool for creative expression. By combining AI with traditional art forms, artists can create new and innovative works that challenge our expectations of what art can be. The use of anime and Asian art styles in this project is particularly interesting. These styles are often characterized by their vibrant colours and intricate details, which make them well-suited for the QR code format. The fact that the codes are still functional is a testament to the power of Stable Diffusion. This technology can generate realistic images that can also encode data.
This project is just a glimpse of what is possible when AI is used in art and design. As AI technology continues to develop, we can expect to see even more creative uses of QR codes in the future.
(Image Credit: Nhcia)
Isodope (a.k.a Isabelle Boemeke) is an influential advocate for cleaner and more sustainable energy alternatives, with a focus on nuclear energy as a viable solution to the climate crisis. She creates content to educate the masses about the merits of nuclear energy as a clean power source. The branding and art direction for Isodope was created by &Walsh and is based on the concept of “a school in another dimension.” The goal is to use Isodope’s otherworldly persona and artistic direction to capture the attention of TikTok users and get them to pause and engage with her videos.
The creative team took a forward-thinking approach by enlisting the help of Artificial Intelligence DALL·E to develop the branding elements. DALL·E was used to design photography backgrounds, case study imagery, iconography, and typography, which were seamlessly integrated into the overall brand identity.
Isodope is a strong advocate for investing in future technologies such as nuclear power and the significant impact they can have on shaping our future. This ideology is reflected in the creative decisions made throughout the branding process. By leveraging the creative capabilities of Artificial Intelligence DALL·E, the team were able to generate imagery, iconography, and typography that aligns with this vision. DALL·E was also used to create type stickers, or “sayings,” for easy generation of social media assets. This utilization of AI empowers the Isodope team to dynamically evolve the brand elements in response to changing conversations surrounding nuclear energy. In short, Isodope is an innovative and forward-thinking advocate for nuclear energy who is using her platform to educate the masses about the merits of this clean power source.
(Image Credit: &Walsh)
Text-to-image generation has recently sparked a cultural phenomenon, driven by AI tools like OpenAI’s Dall-E 2, Midjourney, and Stability AI’s Stable Diffusion. These platforms, trained on vast human-created image datasets, can swiftly generate an array of unique images based on simple text prompts. The combination of human input and machine learning yields astonishing results that continue to captivate users.
According to Wired, the collective usage of AI services such as Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, Artbreeder, and Dall-E results in over 20 million co-created images daily. Brands have also tapped into this boundless creative potential, with Martini utilizing Midjourney to revamp promotional visuals and create new artworks. Similarly, Paris-based ad agency Brainsonic has integrated Dall-E across its operations. Moreover, the generative revolution extends beyond images. Movio, a startup, employs generative AI to produce videos featuring conversational human avatars, which serve as customer support tools for various companies.
Benjamin Benichou of social commerce platform Drop, has leveraged AI to create exciting ‘impossible’ store concepts using the brand Nike as an experiment. The AI generated concepts which have caught the attention of many online show the brand popping up in all manner of imagined locations. From a store atop the summit of Mt. Everest to the surface of the moon and mars. The near photorealism of the concepts is striking and set the imagination going for what other brands could look like situated in environments we’ve never seen them in before. Unencumbered by what’s physically possible AI create new thought pathways and avenues to explore and push concepts further in the ideation stage.
(Image Credit: Benjamin Benichou, Drop)
Rémy Martin teamed up with Grammy award-winning musical artist Usher and AI technology to reveal the taste of 1738 Accord Royal presented in a rare limited-edition bottle coupled with an immersive experience. The bottle entitled “Usher x 1738 A.I. Powered,” touts a new-age bottle design and is coupled with the debut of “A Taste of Passion Experience”– a multi-sensory, immersive experience that will accompany Usher’s My Way Las Vegas Residency.’ The evocation of flavour through spoken word and artificial intelligence generated art creates a contemporary narrative for the long-standing Cognac brand by exploring themes of digital art and ASMR through the dulcet tones of the collaborative star, Usher. The limited nature of these bottles adds a sense of scarcity and rarity, making this coveted by the brands consumer base as well as following trends such as drop culture, attracting a younger demographic to the brand.
(Image Credit: Rémy Martin)
ZHA, the late Zaha Hadid’s architecture studio, is well known for their ethereal, otherworldly approach to designing buildings and structures. Their signature style has become ubiquitous when it comes to imagining the future of architecture. In a recent interview with Dezeen, ZHA’s studio principal Patrik Schumacher shared his views on the use of generative AI and how his team embraces it as a new inclusion to their creative process.
Through a combination of various AI-powered image generators the studio explored mutliple possible starting points. Schumacher describes the power of AI image generation as a new addition to their repertoire, expressing how the speed and quality of its outcomes are akin to a raw, sketched idea. These generative starting points are strong visual aids in showing their clients a representation of fledgling concepts that can be evolved.
Using AI, ZHA imagined initial designs for a potential collaboration with the new city-building project ‘Neom’ in Saudi Arabia. Capturing the studio’s signature style and blending it with the Saudi Arabian landscape, the practice delves into exciting new architectural concepts of the like we have never seen before.
(Image Credit: Zaha Hadid Architects)
