AI and Graphic Design: Should You Be Worried?

Wassup Designers,

Let’s just get this out of the way: I’m not here to panic about AI. I’m also not here to praise it. What I am here to say is this—AI and design will coexist. And whether that’s concerning depends entirely on your goals.

So many conversations online are stuck in a loop: artists hating on AI art, others defending it, timelines flooded with prompts that feel soulless. And while the frustration is warranted, personally, I think the back-and-forth is a waste of time.

Because the reality is simple: AI is here and it’s targeting the entry positions in design. Really it’s not frustrating because they do the job better— it’s your potential clients now also become your competition—when starting out

The Coexistence Model

The way I see it, AI will carve out its space in the same way Fiverr, Canva, and Upwork have. It’ll serve the quick-fix, cheap-patch market. If someone needs a $15 logo with zero revision rounds or sometimes no research into your product— your options now can be Fiverr or AI.

But if you’re building a brand with real value? One that lives in a market with strategy, tone, and longevity behind it? You go to a designer. Or an agency. AI doesn’t know what people want, people know what people want.

Nothing beats control. Nothing beats intention. Nothing beats someone who understands how to solve a problem with design—not just decorate a surface. Now on one end I don’t want to sound “anti” AI because I am not anti Fiverr or Upwork. I myself have used services like that for cheap fixes just like anyone else. It’s the conversation of whether or not designers should feel threatened.

How AI Affects the Field (And Why Beginners Will Feel It First)

Here’s randomly what sad to me: in my opinion the the barrier to entry for beginners will rise.

When AI can generate a decent-looking layout in seconds, people stop learning the basics. Design theory starts to disappear. And without an understanding of contrast, spacing, or story, the industry turns into “what prompt would make this look pretty?” instead of “how can I make this work?”

And when the solution doesn’t appear in 14 seconds, some creatives may give up before they even begin to think they can create it themselves with practice..

Ironically, that may add more value to actual designers— but I comment more about this near the end.

AI is a Tool, Not a Creative

I don’t believe in AI art. I believe in designers who know how to use tools to get the job done better.

Here’s how I use AI:

• Cleaning up a messy PNG or asset

• Generating quick image perspectives

• Possibly using ChatGPT to help clarify copy or theory

• Upscaling an image

• Ect

But relying on AI to spit out a final result? That’s not design—that’s outsourcing the actual thinking and reasoning.

True creativity requires friction. Decision-making. Revision. Design is about intention, and as of now, AI doesn't understand why something should be designed a certain way—it just understands pattern.

So How Do You Futureproof as a Designer?

You don’t need to fight AI. You need to make sure you're not the design world’s best-kept secret.

There’s no point in being the best logo designer, or the cleanest layout master, if no one knows who you are.

Here's what I’d tell every beginner:

• Find your mentor. Not necessarily someone who will walk you through every step, but someone ahead of you that gives you perspective. Even when you don’t fully understand what they’re saying yet, hearing their thoughts helps.

• Show up online. Share your work. Share your process. Share what you’re inspired by. Talk about your favorite fonts, your niche, your design opinions. It’s never been easier to build visibility.

• Put yourself in the room. Not necessarily at conferences—I’ve never been to one in 14 years. But be around where your crowd is. Maybe it’s a Twitter thread, a stream, a group chat, or a gaming party. If your people are there, be there.

• Introduce yourself with your work. Design a poster for your favorite creator. A cool edit for a YouTuber. A fake brand for a Twitch streamer. Something that speaks to their audience.

• Pick a niche. You hear this advice everywhere because it’s still the cheat code for growth. Focus on a culture, a community, or a space. And become the go-to person for it.

My Example:

My niche is gaming. And within that, I dove into designing for streamers, YouTubers, gaming brands that associated. I was known as:

• The thumbnail designer (for gamers)

• Then the logo designer (for gamers)

• Then the esports mascot guy

• The Twitch package guy (for gamers)

• The campaign designer (for gamers)

• The agency creative (for gamers)

• And eventually, the VP of a gaming org

Hundreds of PSDs later, everything still carried a gaming undertone. I stayed in that world until the world knew me for it. That’s the move.

AI Will Never Replace Understanding People

Some companies will chase AI because they care about the end product only. And that's fine—they'll get what they pay for.

But others will understand that design is about solving human problems. And if the wrong message gets communicated, they lose money.

So who do they call? Not an AI. A human with taste, direction, and experience.

That’s where your value lives.

The Real Takeaway: Why Your Brand Still Wins

AI might become the tool of choice for speed and shortcuts—but your brand is what gives you value. And they can/will coexist.

Your presence, your taste, and the work you choose to share all build equity in the kind of client that shows up in your inbox. I believe that the people who reach out to work with me already come with intention—because I’ve built clarity and focus around who I am and what I do.

That’s why I always tell designers: not every client inquiry should turn into a client.
Think about it like this—
“You are what you eat”?
Well… you are who you design for.

If you're constantly saying yes to the wrong kinds of work, that becomes your reputation. And even if you crushed the project? That client will spread your name in that same lane. Another one shows up. You say yes again. And now your portfolio, your presence, your public face—it’s filled with work that doesn’t reflect the direction you actually want to grow in.

Building a brand is the best insurance policy for your design career. It ensures that the right people find you, at the right price point, with the right expectations.

Just like training a muscle—if you want stronger arms, you don’t train every body part with the same intensity. You focus. You build reps. You isolate and grow. Design works the same way.

Saying no to the wrong project is just as powerful as saying yes to the right one. And the more intentional you are with what you take on, the faster you become the go-to in your niche.

Need help building that niche?
Grab my Everything Pack—a bundle of graphic design tools, templates, and assets to level up your work and start designing with confidence.

Let’s keep growing,
Seso