Big changes are coming in the world of graphic design.
AI makes it incredibly fast and easy to go from visualisation to visual images, in a way that was impossible even five years ago.
Online businesses are sprouting up everywhere in a wide variety of industries and scales. And with home 3D printing and CNC machines, a graphic designer’s creations can easily end up as real-world objects.
The world of graphic design is ever-expanding, and its borders are blurring more and more into other industries and spaces.
As students approach graduation from a graphic design university, how do they monetise their new skills? Are they better off entering the workforce as employees or should they strike out on their own as owners of their own businesses–whether as freelance designers, photo editing services, or creating digital products.
With the advent of AI, many possible clients of a graphic designer are being lured away from hiring a real designer for their logos and other artistic needs.
A business owner often feels that with the right prompt, they can come up with a perfectly good logo, ad banner or graphical representation for their blog post–without having to pay someone to put it together on their behalf.
But so far, at least, AI is harder to manipulate than people think.
What might seem at first to be a very passable image might turn out to have a myriad of small details that make no sense. AI image software struggles with such basic concepts as spelling a few words of text correctly.
More importantly, however, AI art is very derivative. Since it is made from an amalgamation of images that already exist, it struggles to create a new and distinctive style.
And as taking a few minutes to type a prompt turns into hours of trying to fix the prompt to get the look that the user intends, hiring a graphic designer suddenly seems more attractive.
A graphic design graduate has the ability to comprehend the needs and desires of the client and generate sample images that can be used to quickly determine exactly the vibe that the client requires.
This creativity can then extend to creating a thematically coherent set of images, tying in the logo, the splash page and even the images in the blog posts into a cohesive and recognizable whole.
So while AI at first glance seems like a competitor to a graphic designer, realistically, for the most part, the client’s time and resources would be better spent just hiring a creative, talented and well-trained graphic designer than spending an equivalent amount of time and resources typing prompts in an effort to get an acceptable set of AI images.
Whatever business a graphic designer chooses to create, client value has to be the top priority.
The advantages provided by a graphic design degree are numerous. From knowledge of color theory and proportions to familiarity with various typography choices and composition, a graphic design grad will have the creative tools that they need to succeed.
But that’s only the start.
Depending on their hopes and goals, the graphic design student can focus on specific areas of particular interest, such as packaging design, app creation or print design.
Every year, graphic design schools update their training to make sure they include the latest in new technology, both for image creation and for the contexts and platforms where graphic design skills may be used. This familiarity becomes critical as no one wants to pay for the learning curve of a graphic designer who is unfamiliar with the needed tools for the particular job in question.
And a client should be able to expect a recent graphic design graduate to exhibit a degree of reliability and professionalism that they wouldn’t be able to get by hiring their very talented but also kind of lazy nephew. While in school, the students will have been expected to submit projects on time, collaborate well with others, and even manage valuable assets in a way that shows respect for their importance.
Standing out in the world of graphic design means meeting and exceeding client expectations, and doing so requires excellent communication skills–something else that should be discussed and taught in graphic design school.
Some think that the job of a graphic designer is a full niche, with too much competition from other designers, amateurs and AI to even be a viable career choice.
But for those who are passionate about good design practices, it’s easy to see that there is always room in the market for a creative designer who puts client value first above all else. No AI prompt will ever replicate that.
Not at all. While AI is a powerful tool, it struggles to create truly original and distinctive styles. A human designer can understand a client's specific needs, offer creative direction, and produce a cohesive set of visuals that an AI cannot replicate with the same level of nuance and brand alignment.
To succeed, you need strong professional skills. This includes reliability to meet deadlines, excellent communication to manage client expectations, and the ability to collaborate effectively. These are often developed during university through project work and are critical for building trust and value.
You can stand out by focusing on delivering exceptional client value. This means using your specialised knowledge of design principles and modern tools to solve your client's problems effectively. Exceeding their expectations with professionalism and clear communication will set you apart from amateurs, other designers, and AI tools.
Starting your own business, whether as a freelancer or by creating digital products, is a very viable path. The key is to monetise your skills effectively by demonstrating how your creativity and professional training provide more value than cheaper alternatives. Building a strong portfolio and focusing on client needs are great first steps for any aspiring entrepreneur with support from resources like Fearless Business.