Designers after AI — less execution, more decisions

History shows that every new design tool raises the same question: does it make professionals obsolete? The same was asked when digital cameras arrived. Photography became accessible, pocket-sized and automated, yet photographers did not disappear. Their role became clearer.

The same applies to artificial intelligence in design. AI is not a replacement for designers. It is a tool — like a camera, a pencil, InDesign or Figma. The real question is not whether AI will be used, but by whom and how.

Annie Spratt — Hobbyist photographer from England (@anniespratt) via Unsplash.

In recent years, AI has entered both professional and amateur or semi-professional design tools, bringing graphic creation closer to everyday users. It allows people to handle simple tasks themselves — social media visuals, invitations, basic layouts. At the same time, print houses struggle with technically incorrect files lacking colour profiles, bleed or proper dimensions. This is not a platform issue, but a natural side effect of accessibility.

Much of visual communication has already moved to digital channels. High-precision print and packaging are now mainly required by organisations that operate systematically. This shift may create fear, but in reality it signals a change in role. Designers are no longer executors. They are interpreters, decision-makers and bearers of responsibility.

The same is true for professional tools like Adobe or Affinity (by Canva). Software has become more powerful, with AI enhancing many features, but intelligence still belongs to the human using it. AI does not automatically make design better. It makes it faster. And speed without direction often results in noise.

Canva AI sample in Affinity — https://www.affinity.studio/canva-integrations

One of the key skills in the AI era is the ability to provide meaningful input. A prompt is not random text — it is a new design language that must be learned as consciously as composition, colour or typography.

AI excels at pattern recognition, variation and rapid visual exploration. It supports experimentation and prototyping. But AI does not take responsibility. It does not understand a brand’s history, business goals or cultural context. It cannot distinguish between a short-lived trend and long-term value. Those decisions remain human.

Good design does not emerge from tools, but from choices. What to remove. What to emphasise. What to build systems on that will last beyond a campaign. Just as a camera does not decide which image tells the story, AI does not decide which visual identity is right.

Every technological leap brings two things: more creators and a greater need for thoughtful work. AI does not make design less important. It makes good design more important. The designer’s role does not disappear. It evolves.