AI Cannot Replace Humans

But humans with AI can replace humans without AI.

And I'm speaking from a Multimedia Artist's perspective.

But first, let me give you a background story:

My high school batchmates have started planning for next year’s homecoming since our batch will be hosting the alumni event. Seeing how big the previous homecomings have been (in case you are wondering, I went to Ateneo de Davao in high school), we also want to rise to the occasion and match that same level or even better. So, we're thinking of raising funds (we're talking seven digits here) as early as now.

Our section, being competitive that we are (yes, lumalaban kami kahit walang humahamon), decided to raise funds through pickleball open play. Actually, I wasn’t involved in the planning since I didn’t really care about it. Un... til...

A friend asked me to edit the logo they created with AI. I cringed when I saw the abomination that it was. Of course, I said yes to prevent more crimes committed against humanity.

Here's the logo the AI generated:

You see, while AI can create a visual faster than I do, it doesn't understand why a design works. 

When I’m working on a project, I’m not just making something that looks good. I’m thinking about the client’s brand, their audience, the message they want to communicate, and how everything fits together visually. AI would put all fruits together in a blender without the thought that even though a tomato is a fruit, it doesn't belong in a fruit smoothie.

In this case, I did a simple albeit generic (I'm not paid anyway haha) style. I took out several elements that aren't needed to make it less cluttered. I also corrected the redundancy and the misrepresented elements (we're Blue Knights not Blue Eagles, by the way). Since this is for a sports club, the design should also work well on prints, not just online. Here's the logo I came up with:

AI definitely can't replace me.

But here's the thing.

I'm not completely shutting my doors to AI.  

I USE AI. And here's why:

1. I can speed up repetitive tasks. I can do multiple layout variations or interactive prototypes in minutes instead of hours. Even cleanly remove a background in an instant (something that Photoshop's magic wand cannot do).

2. I get curated inspiration in an instant. AI can suggest design combinations and color schemes that would take me ages to come up with on my own.

3. I can explore bold or unconventional ideas freely without spending too much time on something that might not work.

4. I work faster with AI than when I relied solely on traditional methods (especially when it comes to wireframing).

I resisted the urge to use the AI for as long as I can because I've always wanted to protect the integrity of creativity. I thought I was doing a disservice to the creative world if I give in to AI. But now that I'm using it, it becomes more of a tool I control rather than something I rely on automatically.

For the record, I DO NOT generate designs with AI and present them as my own. That's a crime. Although I did try this trend out of curiosity. I was amused and scared at the same time.

On point.

AI can transform the world, but only when it is used thoughtfully and guided by ethical responsibility.

I still do the heavy lifting. I brainstorm concepts, sketch ideas, tweak compositions, and make creative decisions that only a human can make. AI cannot do that. But it makes my process faster and gives me more options to explore. It's like having a quick and flexible assistant but the brain behind the ideas and the hand that built the design is still mine (which still takes a lot of time).

So I guess, you could say I'm now an artist on steroids. 

And if you think this is a bad idea, remember what happened to Kodak, Nokia, and Yahoo. These companies failed to innovate. They didn't keep up with the change. 

I believe it goes the same with anyone in any industry who doesn't embrace AI. AI won't replace humans for sure. But AI is here to stay. And humans with AI can replace humans without AI. It's sad, but it's the reality.