What opportunities does AI offer designers? Will AI take over their role? Will they become curators rather than creators? We asked Marko Thorhauer, Executive Creative Director and Leader of Experience Design & Mobile at IBM iX.
Mr. Thorhauer, what is the current state of artificial intelligence (AI) in design?
Marko Thorhauer: Artificial intelligence, especially generative AI, has made huge strides in recent years and is changing the way designers work. The topic is everywhere, and rightly so. Currently, many companies, agencies and even freelancers are starting to use AI specifically in design. This includes the automated creation of graphics, models, images, prototypes and layouts, as well as research, decision support and user experience optimisation. AI can serve as a source of inspiration by uncovering new patterns and connections based on large amounts of data that are difficult for humans to grasp. This can lead to innovative ideas and solutions. Last year was the testing phase, now it’s time to get serious.
In your opinion, what opportunities does AI offer for designers and the design industry?
Marko Thorhauer: First of all, it’s an exciting time to be a designer. However, our roles are changing with the use of AI. In the future, we may curate more than we create. AI will increase efficiency, take over routine tasks and enable new approaches, freeing us up for more strategic work. At IBM, we recently surveyed 2,000 design leaders around the world and 57% believe that generative AI will massively change the design process, especially for digital products, content, experiences and services. It is often said that the results are not yet 100% perfect. While that’s true, AI is improving at an astonishing rate. It feels like new models and tools are coming out every week. Designers should now be open to engaging with the technology, but should also be aware that there are risks associated with introducing AI into a professional environment.
What challenges do you see in integrating AI into design processes?
Marko Thorhauer: It’s crucial to find the right balance between human creativity and AI-based automation. It is important that we, as a society and especially as designers, maintain control and use AI as a tool to enhance and accelerate our work, rather than replace it. Designers need to learn how to work with AI systems and understand their strengths and weaknesses in order to realise the full potential of these technologies. The ethical dimension of AI is key to its acceptance: issues of privacy, transparency and accountability need to be addressed, especially when personal data is used and content is created based on it. Designers have a particular responsibility as the interface between technology and users.
You and your team mainly work on digital products and help companies with digital transformation: How does AI influence your daily work?
Marko Thorhauer: IBM iX is IBM’s experience agency. And of course, as part of IBM, it is our ambition to be a leader in the application and consulting of AI. In the field of digital product design and UX/UI design, AI can help make user experiences simpler and more efficient. AI is shifting many design paradigms towards more intuitive, conversational human-machine interactions. AI-powered analytics tools can mine large amounts of data to identify patterns and trends, and intelligently automate processes. Many digital design tools already incorporate AI, such as our partner Adobe’s Firefly. AI also plays an important role in digital content production. Generative AI helps to quickly create copy that is tailored to target audiences and brands. Automated image creation and editing can improve the visual quality of content while significantly reducing production time and costs.
Another aspect is the increasing personalisation of content and user experiences. By analysing individual user behaviour, AI systems can generate personalised content and interactions tailored to each person’s interests. This not only leads to a better user experience, but can also strengthen the bond with a brand or product.
A new study, ‘Disruption by Design: Evolving Experiences in the Age of Generative AI’ from IBM iX® reveals how generative AI is changing design processes through greater personalisation and automation. Designers play a central role in training AI and ensuring diverse, human-centred content. DesignOps will be critical to ensure ethical standards and quality guidelines.
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