Exploring AI’s Impact on Creative Arts: From Photography to Product Design
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the landscape of creative arts and product design, bringing forth both challenges and opportunities. At MPB, we leverage AI to enhance our creative processes and achieve greater efficiency, all while preserving the essence of human ingenuity and creativity.
My background in design and visual arts…
Allow me to introduce myself: I come from Lecce, a small city in the sunny south of Italy where I studied arts and design first and science later. My journey in the field of design continued in Rome, where I moved after college and studied Design, immersing myself in the vibrant artistic community of the city. From there, my career path took me to live in various parts of the world, including Los Angeles, Milan, and the Turin area. Each city added a unique dimension to my understanding of design and creativity.
I then spent six transformative years in London, where I honed my skills and expanded my horizons by doing agency work designing for brands such as HSBC, Credit Suisse, London MET University, ITV, Harrods. Now, I reside in Brighton — more precisely, Hove. Over the past 25 years, I have accumulated extensive experience in the Design industry, complemented by my work as a photographer. Notably, my photography has been showcased at the Brighton Fringe and has even featured on Amazon Prime.
Currently, I serve as the Head of Product Design at MPB, where I have been working for the past 3 years. This position allows me to integrate my three core passions: sustainability, photography, and design. It is this blend of interests that fuels my dedication to exploring the intersection of AI and creative arts.
The Intersection of AI and Creative Arts
Consider this scenario: I commission an artist to create a series of paintings based on my detailed descriptions. The artist, using their skill and experience, creates these works, and I then claim one as my own on social media, even selling it under my name. Most people would label me a fraud for misappropriating the artist’s work.
Now, imagine using an AI generator: I input the same detailed prompt, select a generated image, and claim it as my own. Suddenly, I am seen as a talented artist. In both cases, my role is merely that of a commissioner, similar to how Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel.
The traditional artist employs years of study and practice to create art, while AI generates images by collating vast amounts of existing data. Being an artist involves more than just having ideas; it’s about making conscious, creative choices influenced by personal experiences and cultural background — qualities AI lacks.
Why Humans Create Art
Art is a means of expressing emotions, exploring new ideas, and connecting with others on a deeper level. For me, taking photos is a way to capture the world around me and share my perspective with others. The excitement of setting the manual dials on the camera to take the perfect shot, controlling the light that hits the sensor, and the heart rate that goes up when you’re walking the streets and see the opportunity to capture the perfect moment — these experiences will never be matched by a few minutes sitting at the computer, instructing it to create a virtual image of something I’ve thought about.
The act of creating any piece of art is a journey. It’s not all about the output. If you remove the act of creating something, the journey, then it all becomes about the output, which is what AI might be good at. And I say might because I think it has a long way to go yet. While AI can produce outputs, it misses the joy and human imperfections integral to the creative journey. Think of mandalas; they emphasise the act of creation over the result. Using AI to generate art removes this human element.
Don’t get me wrong, I can see it working very well for financial gain or to collect likes on social media. But for those who value the process of creation, AI-generated art lacks the depth and personal connection that comes from human creativity.
Where AI Excels
AI truly shines in supporting and optimising workflows, particularly in design and product development.
Design is not art. Design has to function. Art is meant to provoke thought and emotions, but it doesn’t solve problems. Artists primarily work off instinct, whereas designers employ a methodical, data-driven process.
In design, functionality and efficiency are paramount. This is where AI can make a significant impact. While I personally refrain from generating images with AI, as I cherish the creative process, I utilise AI tools like Adobe Lightroom’s AI Denoise to enhance photo quality by reducing noise. Similarly, at MPB, we leverage AI to streamline processes and achieve efficient workflows, without compromising our human-centred design approach.
AI in Our Work at MPB
At MPB, we do not use AI to design interfaces or solve user problems. Our talented Human UX and Visual Designers rely on human insights derived from our Human UX Researcher’s work.
However, we employ AI to support in Research, for instance to help: List direct competitors, analyse user behaviours patterns, automate session recording, note-taking, and text analysis. We also use it to organise research data, streamline project management and conduct desk research.
In UX/UI and Content Design AI tools support us in gathering design requirements, validating designs, reporting on usability tests, generating copy drafts, generating and annotating documentation for design system updates, and checking accessibility.
During MPB’s AI week last December, we explored how AI could streamline our users’ selling process, enhancing the overall experience.
While AI holds significant potential in optimising design and development processes, the essence of art and creativity remains deeply human. It’s about the journey, emotions, and imperfections that AI cannot replicate. As we navigate the integration of AI into our workflows, we must balance innovation with the irreplaceable value of human creativity.
In conclusion, AI is a powerful tool that can support and enhance the creative process, but it cannot replace the unique human touch that defines true artistry. As we continue to explore the possibilities of AI in creative arts and product design, let us embrace the opportunities it offers while staying true to the heart and soul of human creativity.
Let me know what you think about it by connecting with me: https://bento.me/gess
