The future of AI in graphic design: what’s happening now and what’s next?

When we first asked "Will AI replace graphic designers?" a year ago, we explored how AI might evolve and what that could mean for the industry. Almost a year later, things have moved fast—but also, not as fast as some might have feared. AI is changing the way designers work, but it hasn’t replaced creativity, strategy, or the ability to build relationships with clients.

One of the boldest statements about AI in design came from the world’s most popular digital artistry app for iPad Procreate when they announced they wouldn’t be integrating AI into their product.

“We're here for the humans. We're not chasing a technology that is a moral threat to our greatest jewel: human creativity. In this technological rush, this might make us an exception or seem at risk of being left behind. But we see this road less travelled as the more exciting and fruitful one for our community.”

Looking back: what we predicted last year

Last time, we mapped out a rough timeline for AI’s impact on design:

Then > 18 months: AI would automate time-consuming design tasks.

Next 1-2 years: AI would get more involved in business admin and workflow management.

Next 2-4 years: AI-generated design would improve, but designers would still steer the ship.

Next 5-10 years: AI would handle most small-business design needs, making human creativity the key differentiator.

Now that we’re in early 2025, how’s that playing out?

Emerging trends in AI-assisted design: A new kind of creative workflow

Over the past year, AI has become less of a party trick and more of a real tool for designers. Some of the biggest shifts include:

Smarter design software - AI image editing has improved, enabling quick-drafting wireframes, image background removal and removing parts of an image..

Less admin, more creativity - AI is streamlining the boring parts of running a business—writing proposals, sorting invoices, even crafting client emails. Designers who embrace AI for admin are getting more time to focus on what they actually love: design.

Processing lots of information - One of the surprisingly powerful applications of AI is being able to feed transcripts of conversations or large documents and getting AI to extract key insights or build a strategy based on a large amount of information.

AI agents taking action, not just advising - One of the biggest emerging trends is the rise of AI agents. Instead of just suggesting actions, AI can now operate your computer for you—executing tasks across different apps, automating workflows, and handling repetitive processes with minimal human input. This shifts AI from being a passive assistant to an active participant in a designer’s workflow. Drive design and development tools with prompts - In November last year Anthropic (creators of Claude AI) released their Model Context Protocol (MCP). While that's a techie sounding term, effectively this creates a way for AI models like Claude to control a separate app. Imagine being able to type how you want a design to change and the AI model actually controls the software for you. This technology hasn't been widely adopted but in one example we observed a designer building an elaborate 3D model in blender purely using prompts. Build interactive React interfaces with ChatGPT and Claude - Now you can build an interactive interface right inside ChatGPT and Claude. This is incredible for prototyping design layout ideas that are fully interactive and not just static. It even does a pretty good job at simple SVG animations. From our testing, Claude Sonnet 3.7 does a much better job of this than ChatGPT.

AI can see design in screenshots - Screenshotting designs and supplying it to AI models like ChatGPT can be powerful at breaking designer’s block when you’re stuck. “Give me ideas for improving this design.” It’s not at the stage of doing it for you but it certainly gives some ideas to help navigate a solution faster.

What do clients think? Is AI ‘good enough’?

For small business owners, AI-powered design tools are tempting. They offer ‘one-click branding’ and AI-assisted websites, but here’s the thing:

AI doesn’t replace good taste.

AI doesn’t make strategic branding decisions.

AI requires a good driver to get good results.

Many clients are still skeptical.

Most business owners still want someone to guide them through the process—someone who gets their brand and can tailor a solution, not just generate something generic.

Skeptics and the speed of AI progression

AI is still in its infancy. It's like observing a young animal like a lion or a bear. You can see the raw power and potential, but it's still learning to control it. AI has emerged, the raw ability is there, but its full capabilities and how it will use them are still to be discovered.

Another way of thinking about it is like a construction site. The foundations have been laid, and the frame is going up. You can see the rough outline of the building, but all the interior work, the fine details, and the finishing touches are still to come. That's where AI is right now—the basic structure is there, but its complete form is yet to be realized.

Despite the anticipated potential of AI by some, doubt still lingers for others. Many are fixated on AI’s missteps, highlighting its failures rather than acknowledging its rapid improvements. They look at today’s shortcomings and assume they’ll persist. The weaknesses we critique today will be irrelevant in a year or two—completely unrecognisable within three.

Created with ChatGPT: This image was comically created to exaggerate AI's hand challenged image generation.

While AI has gotten better at creating images of hands than this comical example, it's still a little glitchy at times. For the average person, these experiences taint the brand confidence in AI. Likewise if people don't understand how to train AI on their marketing tone of voice, it can feel generic or like an aggressive sales pitch instead of friendly marketing copy.

There’s a crucial element AI hasn’t replaced—relationships

Small businesses don’t just need design; they need guidance. They need someone who understands their business, their market, and their goals, and can help plug everything together. While AI might take over certain tasks, many business owners still want a trusted partner to help them craft a brand that resonates with their audience. AI could replace this but the responsibility of driving it falls on them—for many business owners, they’d rather focus on what they do.

We are still a long way from an all-in-one AI that seamlessly handles everything a business owner needs. And if that day ever comes, it won’t just be graphic designers at risk—it will be entire industries. The reality is that businesses will always need strategic, human-driven expertise to navigate an ever-changing landscape. The future isn’t just about AI replacing tasks; it’s about how people and AI work together to create meaningful outcomes.

The ethics of AI-generated images

One of the biggest ethical concerns in AI-driven design is image generation. AI-generated stock photos and illustrations have often been criticised for perpetuating stereotypes, bias, or lacking diversity. However, we’re likely to see a shift—AI stock imagery will become more ethical and representative.

Future AI stock photo generators will likely be trained on more diverse, inclusive datasets, creating images that better reflect real-world diversity rather than cookie-cutter models. This could lead to a much-needed shakeup in the stock photo industry, making it easier for businesses to source unique imagery without relying on overused, generic stock libraries.

For designers, this presents both opportunities and challenges. On one hand, it means access to a broader range of high-quality visuals. On the other hand, it raises new questions about originality and ethics in AI-generated art. As AI tools become more powerful, designers will need to think carefully about when and how to use AI-generated visuals in a way that aligns with their brand’s values.

The takeaway: AI isn’t replacing designers, it’s making them better

Rather than resisting AI, designers should look at it as an opportunity to level up. The ones who thrive will:

Use AI to speed up repetitive tasks

Lean into brand strategy and storytelling

Create unique, high-quality work that AI alone can’t produce

AI is here to stay, but design is about more than just pushing buttons. The future isn’t about AI taking over—it’s about designers and AI working together to create something better than either could do alone.

Blending AI with creativity: making high-end design more accessible

Skills like animation and illustration can take a brand’s identity to the next level—adding depth, personality, and storytelling in a way AI just can’t match. Motion graphics, hand-drawn elements, and interactive branding help businesses stand out, keeping things genuine in a world full of AI-generated content.

But for small business clients, this level of creativity is often out of reach. A designer’s time gets used up on the structural essentials—layouts, page designs, and formatting—before they can even think about the extra flourishes. The budget runs out before the really creative magic can happen.

That’s where AI can change the game. If AI handles the repetitive, structural parts of design, it frees up more of the budget for the work that truly makes a brand unique. Instead of just getting the basics, more small businesses could access custom illustrations, motion graphics, and richer brand storytelling—the kind of creativity that sets them apart.

For designers looking ahead, this shift is a big opportunity. The next few years will favour those who blend AI efficiency with human creativity, making high-end design more accessible while keeping the designer’s craft at the heart of it all.

The future timeline for designers

1-2 years from now (2026-27)

AI-driven co-design becomes a standard workflow. Rather than moving things around a page, you’ll tell the AI how you want it to adjust the design.

AI tools assist with layout and design composition in real-time. You’ll be able to consult AI’s thoughts on your design for a second opinion, right inside your design app in real time.

AI-generated stock images improve in diversity and ethical representation.

AI-powered project management tools automate more of the design admin work.

3 years from now (2028)

AI-generated designs rival human-created work in many cases but the best designers still create unique, culture-influencing creativity.

AI personalisation allows businesses to create unique branding with minimal input.

AI assistants handle a broader range of strategic business tasks beyond just design.

Designers shift more into creative direction, curating AI-generated ideas rather than manually crafting everything from scratch.

5 years from now (2030)

AI tools become highly integrated across industries, transforming design, marketing, and business operations.

Most small businesses rely on AI-generated branding and marketing, but human designers remain key for high-level strategy and storytelling.

AI reaches a level where fully automated business operations become feasible, reshaping entire industries.

The role of designers evolves into AI specialists, blending human creativity with AI’s efficiency to produce cutting-edge brand experiences.

Where does this leave designers?

AI is reshaping the design world, but it’s not replacing creativity, strategy, or the trust that clients place in designers. The designers who thrive in the years ahead won’t be the ones resisting AI but the ones who know how to use it to their advantage—freeing up time for creative storytelling, brand strategy, and high-value work that AI alone can’t replicate.

Instead of seeing AI as competition, think of it as a tool that helps designers do more, better—whether that’s speeding up workflows, cutting down on admin, or making high-end design more accessible to small businesses. The real opportunity lies in blending AI efficiency with human originality—turning what was once out of reach for many clients into something achievable.

As AI continues to evolve, the most successful designers will be the ones who embrace change, push creative boundaries, and keep focusing on what makes great design truly great—human insight, emotion, and storytelling. Because at the end of the day, design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about making brands feel personal, unique, and full of life.