Did a Robot Do This?”: My Love-Hate (Mostly Love) Relationship with AI in Design
Sometimes, when I look at my designs, I often find myself scratching my head and thinking, “Did a robot do this or was it the caffeine-driven version of me from last night’s design binge?”
In the bustling hubbub of London, where I work as a lead designer, things move faster than a double-decker in a mad dash. With big fintech clients throwing around words like "blockchain" and "quantum-encrypted doodads," the design briefs I get can sometimes be as clear as a British summer. (No offence, UK weather!)
The future of AI in design? A more frightening prospect than a cup of tea without biscuits. But just as I was ready to defend the realm of creativity with my Wacom tablet, I found a sidekick in an unexpected place: ChatGPT.
You see, in a world where we're constantly told machines might take over our jobs (or the world, depending on your favorite sci-fi flick), I stumbled upon the surprising reality: machines, or at least ChatGPT, have become my best work buddies.
Instead of waiting hours for a meeting or hunting down the product manager playing hide-and-seek, I dump my rambles and rants about my products onto ChatGPT. And voila! It becomes my UX guide, my brief translator, my content Shakespeare, and idea generator. It’s like having a virtual Alfred to my Batman, minus the cool gadgets and the British accent (though I'm sure that can be programmed in).
It’s funny, you’d think designers would be the first to scream, “The robots are taking our jobs!” But here I am, gleefully chatting away to an AI, probably more than I talk to actual humans. Maybe it’s the 21st-century version of talking to plants, only these plants talk back with design advice.
There’s also talk of Midjourney, a platform that's dipping its toes in AI-driven design. Although I must admit, AI's design skills sometimes feel like a toddler’s first drawing—full of potential, but not quite a Picasso yet.
But, as the saying goes, “You never know how fast these things move.” Today's toddler sketches might be tomorrow's masterpieces. While we wait for that revolution, I'm content having my AI sidekick, holding my (virtual) hand, guiding me through the labyrinth of design.
So, the next time you stumble upon a brilliantly designed fintech interface, don't be too quick to credit a sleep-deprived designer in a beanie. It might just be a caffeinated designer... and their chatty AI friend.
