Eyeing AI: Insights From Colorado Pros on Its Influence & Longevity
Boulder, CO—After decades of starring in science fiction, artificial intelligence is becoming more prevalent in design, leaving professionals with questions surrounding ethics, usage, best practices, and its influence in design. Aaron Lea, Creative Director at InspiringApps, and Jake Thomas, Director of Product Design at JumpCloud, explore our AI reality.
What impact will AI have on the future of design as a profession?
Consumers increasingly expect a growing amount of content; AI tools supplement the process, helping designers create at scale to meet demand. But both Aaron and Jake believe AI is precisely that: a tool.
AI cannot create design independently without prompting from humans, and out-of-the-box lacks essential human qualities like empathy, creativity, and critical thinking. Designers have control over what AI can do and how it can enhance workflows and creative outputs and are solely responsible for relationships with AI tools and services. Designers act as the ethical guardrails for AI tools and should ensure AI output avoids poor design or exclusion for underrepresented groups.
Design in all forms is art, and artists are continuously curating. Today’s designers serve as curators of AI outputs, keeping the best parts, ditching the bad, and modifying them with their unique touch—empathy and creativity—creating the final product.
“It’s the blood, sweat, and tears that give design meaning and value.“
—Aaron Lea, Art Director | InspiringApps, Boulder CO
What do you think design professionals should do now to prepare for the integration of AI into workflows?
Designers can be creatures of habit, but Aaron and Jake encourage other designers interested in AI to overcome the instinct to stick to what they know and explore ways AI can benefit professionally and competitively. Many designers and creatives are intimidated by AI, but in reality, they’re in a unique position to play an active role in the evolution of AI technology. Growing alongside this technology will ensure ethical improvements, usability, and inclusivity.
Helping AI evolve starts with understanding how to communicate with AI tools to improve output. Before designers integrate AI into design workflows, they need to learn how to ask questions, write prompts, and interact with these tools–after all, AI is only as bright as the information it’s given.
Learn about the capabilities of any tool you intend to use before integrating them into your workflow. Designers should learn from AI pioneers by following cutting-edge professionals on social media and subscribing to newsletters for up-to-date news and trends.
Read the full article on Built In Colorado: https://www.builtincolorado.com/2023/08/17/powerful-tool-or-passing-fad-two-colorado-pros-weigh-future-ai