With the advancement of technology in today’s digital age, the whole graphic design field has been revolutionized. Artificial intelligence (AI) has now become the new most talked about jargon. Some people believe that AI will bring new opportunities for graphic designers, while others believe it lacks creativity. It should be noted that using artificial intelligence is a double-edged sword, offering both benefits and numerous limitations of artificial intelligence in graphic designing, primarily the lack of creativity. 

Now before moving ahead, let us first understand how human touch is important in the field of graphic designing.

The Role of Human Emotions in Graphic Design

A graphic designer possesses vital human emotions that software cannot replace no matter how advanced the technology is. The human touch in graphic design tends to involve empathy, subjective interpretation, and the ability to think beyond the set parameters. By using AI for graphic design, designers would not be able to bring emotional and cultural depth to their graphic designs as a human being can.

A graphic designer possesses certain skills which he or she can use to evoke emotions. Those are as follows –  

• Empathy 

A graphic designer’s work is meant for people, be it for other clients or target audience groups. He or she should be able to meet their expectations, wants, and needs. As a result, it is all the more important that a graphic designer should be able to empathize and understand the thought processes of the people for whom they work. This is one of the limitations of artificial intelligence, as this characteristic is present only in a human being and not in any machine. 

• Emotional Intelligence

Very similar to empathy, emotional intelligence is another crucial skill, especially for graphic designers who directly deal with a client. To understand and meet the requirements of customers, he or she should have the capability to interact with them on a very high level. This is not possible with artificial intelligence software. 

• Intuition

Intuition can be considered as the ability to have an insight into whether to scrap or expand an idea. This skill is important and mysterious at the same time especially when it comes to a creative field such as graphic design. A skilled graphic designer should have that gut feeling and the courage to take that leap of faith to create something unique and not mainstream. This is one of the disadvantages of artificial intelligence as it cannot think on its own and tends to rely on human commands only. 

• Innovativeness

Behind every unique graphic design lies the creativity of a skilled graphic designer. This is their unique selling proposition (USP). There is no such software or artificial intelligence that can match up to a human brain and come up with original ideas, dreams, and brainstorming. The biggest disadvantage of artificial intelligence in graphic designing software is the inability to think outside of the box.

• Taste

Similar to intuition, taste is also a mysterious skill that is developed with time.  It allows a graphic designer to decide what works best in a given design project. It is a common practice to hire a creative professional because of their superior aesthetics and taste. 

• Judgment 

A skilled graphic designer should be able to read and understand any situation and act accordingly. At times, a graphic designer is often required to critique an existing design, and in this case, an ability to demonstrate judgment can be very helpful. One of the biggest disadvantages of artificial intelligence in graphic designing software is that unlike human beings, software or artificial intelligence is simply programmed to give a response with a predefined set of answers.

• Improvisation

Many a time it can happen that a graphic design is just not working no matter how hard you try. Unlike programmed artificial intelligence in graphic designing software, a graphic designer can come up with unique ideas to remove problems.

• Imagination

From the point of view of graphic designing, Imagination refers to the ability to picture and envision what a graphic design should appear like. Graphic designers utilize their imaginative skills to create unique brand identities, distinct visual styles, and memorable logos that will help to establish a strong brand presence. AI for graphic design cannot work outside the set algorithm and pattern. They cannot think outside the box, infuse emotion into their designs, and create unique visual experiences that evoke feelings and connections with the viewers. 

• Collaboration 

One of the essential components for the success of a graphic design process is collaboration between designers and developers, ensuring a seamless integration of aesthetics and functionality in the final product. Human beings are capable of listening, understanding, and responding accordingly unlike AI-based graphic design software.

What are the disadvantages of AI in graphic designing?  

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technologies, this common question is buzzing around – Can AI-based  Graphic Design Tools Ever Replace A Graphic Designer? 

There are plenty of things one needs to learn when it comes to AI, but the early signs are both intriguing and a little bit scary when one considers the possible repercussions. However, various artificial intelligence tools and technologies for graphic designing can only assist a human being but will never replace a graphic designer completely in the future. 

Various limitations of artificial intelligence in graphic designing are as follows –

1. AI  is still, in its nascent stage 

One of the main disadvantages of artificial intelligence in graphic design is that various artificial intelligence tools and technology are still in their early days. It is still evolving and continuously advancing. As a result, one cannot fully rely on it. 

2. AI requires human command to work properly

Unlike human beings, artificial intelligence just would not do stuff on its own. They require humans to prompt an idea and function seamlessly. They tend to require assistance and guidance from human beings as they are not capable of performing any task on their own. Many a time, the results of using  AI for graphic design are not perfect and they might make some mistakes or errors that need to be corrected by a human being. 

3. AI is unable to understand complex and nuanced tasks

Nuances tend to involve cultural references, context-specific symbolism, and social sensitivities, which play a vital role in effective visual communication. Since time immemorial, human beings have exploited emotions as a survival strategy. We are taught to protect ourselves from outside stimuli by using strong emotions such as fear. Based on the tone of voice, body language, and social cues—all of which are derived from cultural and acquired norms—human beings can recognize and understand people’s complex emotions and act accordingly. Thus, one of the limitations of artificial intelligence is the inability to comprehend tiny emotional cues.

AI-based graphic design tools are limited by their basic programming language and the data they are fed upon. Many a time, artificial intelligence technology might not have a deep understanding and the required knowledge to perform the said graphic designing task with absolute perfection. They do not have the level of intelligence to understand and analyze the information as human beings. Hence AI-based tools and technologies cannot handle various graphic designing tasks that require nuance, subtlety, and the ability to interpret complex information from the clients. 

In addition, another disadvantage of artificial intelligence technology is that they cannot adapt to a new situation easily nor they can learn new skills on their own. This limits the ability to perform seamlessly in a new environment where they are not usually accustomed to.

4. AI cannot make effective decisions like a human being 

It should be noted that artificial intelligence technology is not fully able to make decisions as effectively as human beings. One of the main reasons is that they do not have the same level of intellect as human beings. Hence it is difficult for various AI-based graphic designing tools to analyze crucial information and give the correct output.  

In addition, another limitation of artificial intelligence is that all AI-based tools and technologies are designed to respond to text-based inputs only. As a result, they are unable to understand and respond to emotions which can be considered an important factor for making correct decisions, especially in a creative field such as graphic design.

5. AI cannot create original content

Various artificial intelligence technologies for graphic designing are designed in such as way that they give results based on the input given by a graphic designer. Many a time AI-generated images do not have the originality and innovativeness. Hence, artificial intelligence tools are not at all recommended for various tasks that require creativity and the ability to think out of the box.

6. AI is not completely ethical 

As per a recent survey conducted by Statista, around 61 percent of the respondents believed that AI-generated imagesand videos should not be considered art because they are not made by human beings. Artificial intelligence technology is based on a sophisticated algorithm that usually does not have any sense of right or wrong. They cannot interpret and contextualize the real world the way human beings do. AI-based outcomes are susceptible to inaccuracies, discrimination, bias, etc.

7. AI is not cost-effective 

One of the biggest disadvantages of artificial intelligence technology is that AI technology is not at all pocket-friendly. The latest AI-based graphic designing tools are very expensive. A graphic designer can avail of the free ones. However, to enjoy all the latest features and get top-notch results, they have to get subscriptions which will add to the overall cost.

Various Limitations of AI Tools In Graphic Design

From limitations in customization and flexibility to the risk of bias and inaccuracy, some of the potential drawbacks of using AI tools in the field of graphic designing are as follows –

• Learning curve

The majority of AI-based graphic designing tools are complex and a graphic designer tends to require a good amount of training to be able to use them effectively. This can be a quite herculean task for designers who do not have the time or resources to learn completely new software.

• Limited customizations 

Another major disadvantage of artificial intelligence technology is the inability to think out of the box. This can cause a challenge when it comes to delivering a customized design for any particular client. During such scenarios, a human graphic design designer is more equipped to comprehend and visualize the unique requirements of the client and create a design that meets those needs.

• Similar Designs 

Various artificial intelligence technologies might help to generate designs faster but they lack creativity. Since AI is based on algorithms, they can only generate results based on the parameters they are given and the data they have analyzed. On the other hand, a skilled graphic designer can bring his or her creativity and intuition to the overall design process.

• No flexibility

Many a time a graphic designer is required to make adjustments and modifications in a design based on the feedback from the client. One of the disadvantages of artificial intelligence technology is that it can only be as smart or effective as the quality of data provided to them. An AI tool may struggle to handle these changes and may require manual intervention from a human graphic designer.

Wrapping Up

Creativity that is brought in by a human being is a vital aspect when it comes to graphic design. It allows designers to think out of the box, leading to more unique and effective designs so that they can grab the attention of the target audience. 

It is true that with the advancement of technology, artificial intelligence has revolutionized the business sector. However, there are still too many limitations when it comes to AI for graphic design because it lacks the accuracy of results. Designers should be aware of the potential drawbacks primarily because of the absence of human touch. So, a business should emphasize hiring dedicated graphic designers to combat the drawbacks laid by AI.