Hacking AI for Typography - Creative Workarounds for AI’s Limitations

[@wentinz]

Hey viewers! 👋 If you enjoyed this video, I've got something for you. I've created a text version of this content in my newsletter. It covers the same material we discussed in the video, but in a format you can easily reference later or share with colleagues. Check it out here: build.typogram.co/p/hacking-ai-for-typography The newsletter is a great way to stay updated on my latest thoughts about design, AI, and typography.

[@wentinz]

For those interested in trying out these AI typography hacks, I highly recommend checking out typogram.co. It's the design tool used in the demos, and it's perfect for experimenting with creative typography techniques. Whether you're a professional designer or just getting started, Typogram offers powerful features to bring your typographic ideas to life. Give it a try and see how it can enhance your design workflow!

[@luisgonzalez8415]

What ai are you using in this video?

[@wentinz]

The AI icon generation is using a feature in typogram.co. It can generate vector-based icons using AI, you can get the SVG code directly from it! you can try it in the free plan. the other example (to generate background image) is using Canva!

[@luisgonzalez8415]

@@wentinz thank you for sharing!

[@diff9646]

"Creative workarounds for a lack of creativity!"

[@wentinz]

Using AI can be creative, it is up to the user.

[@diff9646]

​​@wentinz Nah, there is no creativity just because you say so. There is no direct control over the output. You have as much creative control as you do when commissioning someone, except instead of actually paying anyone, you're commissioning a robot. Language is not a suitable medium to communicate your intent to your tools.

[@Vor567tez]

The big issue and pit fall of AI supporters is they can't see the AI is aimed to eliminate their intervention. The reliance on humans. One person can use text AI to write a story, then feed that story to text to image AI to get illustration then send it to the publisher who will use AI to proofread and then send it to the print. A book got made within a week and very cheaply. Sure, the time and money got reduced but so did the quality and humans required. The supporters think companies will hire them when all they r looking for an AI that can do 10 people's job within a second. No need of them.

[@wentinz]

Let's break it down: Thinking "I want to replace the counter space of the letter ‘o’ with a dragon icon" is creative. Commanding AI to create that dragon icon in circle? That's creative too. It's not fundamentally different from choosing a geometric font for an architecture poster instead of drawing it from scratch. Would you call using a pre-made font uncreative? Nah. AI is just another tool, like fonts, Photoshop, or Typogram. The creativity stays with the person wielding the tool. And let's face it - AI is the reality for graphic designers now. Refusing to use it is like insisting on hand-painting everything instead of using Adobe in this day and age. In a few years, that'll look as outdated as paste-up techniques do today. The point is, creativity isn't about doing everything manually. It's about vision, problem-solving, and using whatever tools you've got to bring your ideas to life. Whether that's AI, fonts, or good old-fashioned elbow grease, it's all creative if you're using it to make something new and interesting.

[@wentinz]

@@Vor567tez Job security is a legit concern, no doubt. We don't know if the AI windfall will benefit the 99% or just line the pockets of the 1%. But that's more of a societal issue, isn't it? It's not about whether using AI in creative work is good or bad - it's about how we distribute the time and money saved by AI back to us creative types. Sure, we're not guaranteed to come out on top with AI. But blaming AI itself misses the mark. We need to look inward at our society's structure and wealth distribution. It's not that different from when machines replaced manual labor. The issue isn't the tech - it's how we handle its impact. Using AI to write a story isn't just letting a machine spit out a novel. It's about our core idea, with AI fleshing it out. Same goes for graphic design. That dragon icon in the 'o' counter? That's my creative concept. Whether I hand-draw it or use AI to speed things up doesn't diminish my role in the creative process. The key is, AI is a tool. It's not replacing creativity . We're still the ones with the ideas, the vision. AI just helps us execute faster, explore more options. It's on us to adapt, to find ways to use AI that enhance our creativity rather than replace it.