AI Tools Every Designer Needs to Know About

Tech & Design

Visually Mag

December 15, 2024

The introduction of generative AI technologies led to a substantial shift in the digital design industry. These technologies, which rely on machine learning and natural language processing, do more than create art; they also boost creativity, streamline procedures, and significantly improve designer productivity. This article highlights some of the most valuable generative AI tools available, what they do, why they're crucial for designers, and how to incorporate them into their workflows.

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What is Generative AI?

Generative AI is artificial intelligence that generates new material based on training data. It uses sophisticated algorithms to produce images, text, music, and other digital assets by identifying patterns in existing data. These tools use deep learning models, such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and massive language models, to generate high-quality results that frequently resemble human ingenuity. For designers, this means having access to tools that can assist in tasks that were once time-consuming or only possible to complete with technical expertise.

Designers use Gen AI to create sophisticated image models

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Key Generative AI Tools for Designers

Generative AI provides various creative tools, including DALL·E, Midjourney, Runway, Adobe Firefly, and Canva. These tools are known for their accessibility, adaptability, and proven value in design workflows. They transform design processes across sectors by providing powerful functionality and ease of use.

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DALL·E by OpenAI

DALL·E is an AI program that creates graphics using text prompts. DALL·E 2 now generates detailed, vibrant, and highly inventive graphics, making it a game-changer for visual designers who need to develop fresh ideas swiftly. DALL·E can create intricate and lifelike graphics or stylized, artistic representations based on the data provided.

Example Use: Designers can use DALL·E to create unique concepts for branding, marketing visuals, or illustrations for editorial content. For instance, a designer working on an eco-friendly campaign could input prompts like “photo of a lychee-inspired spherical chair, with a bumpy white exterior and plush interior, set against a tropical wallpaper,” generating multiple drafts to choose from for further development.

A lychee-inspired chair designed with Dall.E

Or a designer creating a detailed visualization of a character can use a prompt such as, “A middle-aged woman of Asian descent, her dark hair streaked with silver, appears fractured and splintered, intricately embedded within a sea of broken porcelain. The porcelain glistens with splatter paint patterns in a harmonious blend of glossy and matte blues, greens, oranges, and reds, capturing her dance in a surreal juxtaposition of movement and stillness. Her skin tone, a light hue like the porcelain, adds an almost mystical quality to her form.”

Generated image of a middle-aged Asian woman created with Dall.E

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Midjourney

Midjourney is a powerful artificial intelligence tool that runs largely on Discord and is known for its distinct, artistic flair. It generates highly innovative and visually appealing visuals, making it ideal for designers trying to push creative boundaries and create unique visual content. What distinguishes it from other platforms is its capacity to make more abstract and creative visuals.

Pentagram’s illustration style using Midjourney

Example Use: Midjourney is ideal for designers working on projects that require a bold, avant-garde look, such as album covers, posters, or digital art pieces for exhibitions. For instance, the Pentagram team that created Performance.gov, which focuses on making government data visually appealing and easy to understand used bold typography to highlight agency objectives, created color-coded visual hierarchies to distinguish departments, and developed clear and understandable data visualizations. The team used responsive design for various devices and prototyped layouts and usability testing to ensure the site was accessible to a wide audience. See Pentagram's post for a more in-depth look at their processes.

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Runway

Runway is a flexible generative AI platform that offers a variety of machine learning models for image improvement, video editing, and creative content development. It's easy to use and accessible to designers without coding experience, and it uses AI to ease hard processes. Runway includes backdrop removal, automated color correction, and image-to-image conversions, making it a versatile tool for various creative demands.

Example Use: Designers can use Runway to simplify video projects by automating object tracking or adding real-time effects. For example, a content creator working on social media videos can use Runway to enhance video quality, remove unwanted backgrounds, or create motion graphics quickly, significantly reducing editing time and effort.

Motion graphics using Runway

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Adobe Firefly

Adobe Firefly is one of Adobe's generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, meant to integrate with Creative Cloud products. It helps with content development, such as text-to-image conversion and creative upgrades, and provides an integrated solution for designers already familiar with Adobe products. Firefly enables designers to swiftly explore many creative avenues by generating design components based on simple prompts.

Example Use: A web designer can use Adobe Firefly to create unique images or patterns that fit the overall theme of a website without needing to start from scratch. Firefly’s AI-powered enhancement tools can refine images, adjust color schemes, and provide design variations that align with a client’s preferences or project requirements. A designer can use a prompt such as, “abstract geometric patterns, vintage surfers, hot colors.”

Abstract geometric pattern created with Adobe Firefly

Or use a generative fill prompt such as an Astronaut in a bright purple space suit waving at the camera, with strong shadows.

A generative fill image using Adobe Firefly

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Canva's Magic Write and Design Tools

Canva has added generative AI capabilities to improve its design platform. Users can quickly develop text using features such as Magic Write, while design tools provide ideas for layout, color palettes, and font combinations, making it a fantastic tool for designers seeking efficient and versatile design solutions. Canva's user-friendly interface, paired with AI suggestions, allows both experienced designers and those new to the industry to produce professional-looking images with ease.

Example Use: Designers can use Canva’s Magic Write to draft marketing copy for social media posts, email campaigns, or flyers, saving time and effort while ensuring content is engaging and on-brand. Canva’s design tools can suggest complementary color palettes or provide pre-made templates to fit different design styles, allowing for rapid prototyping and quick turnarounds for clients with tight deadlines.

Canva provides suggestions to enhance design

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‍Notable alternatives

In addition to the tools described above, there are numerous alternative generative AI platforms that designers might consider:

Artbreeder: Ideal for character creation and unconventional settings, but less adaptable for regular design jobs.

Generated characters using Artbreeder AI

DeepArt.io: Transforms pictures into art using well-known styles; ideal for artistic purposes but restricted to larger uses.

Image using DeepArt.io

Fotor's AI Art: Creates stylized digital art, but lacks the advanced features of programs like DALL·E and Midjourney.

Fotor's AI image generator allows users to generate images from text descriptions in several styles.

Dream by Wombo: A mobile-friendly solution for informal creative outputs, but less appropriate for professional tasks.

Wombo Dream AI-generated art: realistic style

‍Stable Diffusion: a powerful, free tool that requires more technical skill to use efficiently.

Generated image using Stable Diffusion

These alternatives may lack the extensive capabilities of the core tools but can provide useful functionality for specialized or experimental tasks.

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Why These Tools Are Valuable for Designers

These generative AI technologies provide significant benefits to designers by optimizing processes, saving time on repetitive tasks, and allowing for creative exploration without the typical limits of manual effort. Designers can employ these tools to generate more complicated, high-quality work while expanding their creative powers. They provide a unique approach to design challenges from inspiration to finishing touches, allowing designers to experiment with several possibilities before committing to a single direction.

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How Designers Can Integrate Generative AI Into Their Workflow

Concept Development: Use AI tools to brainstorm, create mood boards, and draft initial ideas. For example, a designer can use DALL·E or Midjourney to generate visual inspiration and establish a design direction for a project.

Gen AI mockups boost marketing materials

Prototyping: Generate prototypes and mockups quickly to test different concepts. Runway’s tools for image-to-image transformations can be useful for visualizing design revisions.
Content Creation: Incorporate text generation tools like Canva’s Magic Write and Adobe Firefly for writing engaging content for presentations or marketing materials. These tools can produce polished copy that is easy to adapt and customize.
Automating Repetitive Tasks: Simplify tasks like resizing images, background removal, and repetitive pattern creation with tools like Runway and Adobe Firefly to focus more on creativity and strategy.

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Generative AI technologies have transformed the design workflow by improving creativity, simplifying repetitive activities, and facilitating faster modifications. Designers who use these technologies improve their work processes and open new avenues for creativity. By incorporating AI into their everyday responsibilities, designers may push the boundaries of their work and remain at the forefront of digital design innovation.

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