'This is terrifying': Graphic designers debate the threat of Chat GPT's image generator

Chat GPT 4-o's image generator is getting more sophisticated, with the latest update bringing tools that more than encroach on graphic design work. This has been noticed by one Redditor, who asks the graphic design community for their thoughts. "I don't think I should continue in design," she says. "I would love for someone to change my mind".

The user points out that the Chat GPT 4-o can "edit images, make thumbnails from sketches, static ads and a lot more," which (they say) is terrifying for someone starting out in design. Responses are very mixed, and a little different in tone from the hopeful discussion over whether graphic design is dead that's happening elsewhere on Reddit.

The post has received 169 comments, offering different perspectives on how much of a threat AI will be (find out here how we think the future of AI in graphic design will look).

graphicdesigning from r/GraphicDesigning/comments/1jllcyr/this_new_update_is_terrifying

The tool may not be good enough to fully replace designers now, the thread says, but with the speed that the technology is progressing it may well be capable of producing something that is at human-level, or at least passable for many clients, in a few year's time.

Community comments fall into two broad camps: 1. AI tools are there to be integrated into a designer's workflow so everyone should stay calm, 2. People are being way too calm.

People will be needed, says one boss, because someone needs to be there to run the AI.

"Well, speaking as a business owner of a tech start up and the owner of 5 companies where we hire over 50 programmers to work with us in developing our software," one comment reads.

"I can honestly say from experience and watching my staff work, that chatGPT is great but it's only as great as those who know how to use it. You can ask Google questions but if you don't ask it the right questions, it can't really help you."

Another user agrees: "Calm because panic produces nothing. It’s a tool. People have been saying the same thing for decades about whatever the latest software is. Most people don’t use AI. Including clients, for now."

Many other comments recommend mastering the tools in order to make your designs even better. One creative director of an AI company even said "jump on the train or get out of the way" – showing that the progression of AI is unstoppable and anyone not onboard will be left behind.

But others disagree.

"Not trying to argue but 99.9% of graphic design work is research and remixing, that's exactly how these generative models work," one comment reads.

"Almost all graphic design jobs will be replaced in the next 5 years and you might just have 1-2 people per big company who will prompt these models to create whole ad campaigns in mere minutes."

As a graphic designer, I see more and more of my clients replacing design tasks with AI," agrees another commenter– but offers a glimmer of hope. "However, one thing that ChatGPT and other AI software can't handle is typography."

This week Bill Gates made some worrying premonitions about AI, and that it has the ability to replace all but three jobs (of which graphic design isn't one). But he also said that humans would be the ones to determine how far the creep of AI would get. Discussions like this promote awareness of how to stay relevant, and will help humans to retain the upper hand against AI.

Follow the discussion over on Reddit and then find out how AI is impacting graphic design according to industry professionals right now

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.