My Honest Thoughts on Al in Adobe Illustrator 2024

[@willpatersondesign]

I'm not sure if I'll use Text To Vector - but I do think the future is looking good for Adobe Illustrator users!

[@themikereda]

AI won't replace every artist, but it will replace a LOT of artists. You have worked hard to build an audience, your style is unique and people want what YOU can create. But for a lot of designers that don't have a platform, they're going to lose work to an intern who is good at AI prompts because it's "good enough" even if there are some wonky bits. And if it's this good now, after basically only being in the public eye for a year or so, within 2 or 3 years it's going to do all the things we say it can't do now.

[@droidster888]

I’ve been in the graphic design and photography business since I was 17, from paste up and real artboards, marking up typography to what we have on offer now… I am now 61years old (spoiler alert: that went quick!). When Apple came on the scene, and I remember it well, the expression out there being used was ‘over Mac’d’ - typefaces hideously stretched and distorted, awful typography and ‘effects as art’ were everywhere. Just like the arrival of digital photography, (it did cost many people their jobs) you had to able to ADAPT to the new tech. As someone said in another comment “anyone can take a photo, not everyone can paint” - half true… not everyone can take nearly a half decent photograph (or resist hammering the hell out of it in PS or LR). The design and photographic eye will always be needed, especially on projects with specific briefs that have to be adhered too. My son wants to go to graphic design school and I was hesitant at first, what’s the situation in five years? Will our talents be seriously undervalued (as in massive price dumping of day rates in photography.) One thing I do know is that my son has been on top of AI for over two years, more ahead of the curve than me. Adapt or be left behind, use the current unfolding tech to your advantage, even if it’s a bit of a dogs dinner in some cases, it will improve…

[@Asturev]

ah yes adapt so hard to write . "make rocket burguer logo" only the strong and experienced can do that

[@morpheus2573]

@@Asturev Baseline, you'll need to be able to spell "burger."

[@morpheus2573]

@droidster888 Well said. How long did it take you to set those paragraphs in 12pt Helvetica Light using Letraset? 😉

[@droidster888]

@@morpheus2573 ages mate, a labour of love 😂

[@morpheus2573]

@@droidster888 Masterful. 👏

[@rosar.4293]

Careful when using squareship. They automatically opt you into their artificial intelligence learning software so any art of designs you use on a a website from them will be susceptible to scraping. You can opt out but it’s more of a “request” than an automatic action.

[@hebaalamri7815]

Oh God !

[@-_Nuke_-]

"opt you into their artificial intelligence learning software" aka: STEALING your artwork as it is we have been calling it AI - but there is no AI there. Its machine learning and if a machine can learn to steal people's artworks - it will do that!

[@flytetime7637]

Retype (beta) is a massive time-saver. I wish I had access to this when I was working on a book of maps. The image generation still seems a bit hit-and-miss although in time I imagine it'll be useful when future versions are released.

[@gerbie42]

I'm not worried, AI seems like a great tool that will help us become more productive. Text to vector can give us some inspiration and some features, like the mockup feature, simply makes us more efficient. I've used AI in several different ways now for my work and so have colleagues and friends of mine who are in different industries, they all come to about the same conclusion: AI helps out, it can inspire, suggest and save time, but it's a long way from 'replacing people' and even if it would replace parts of your job, it just means you as the expert will be able to do your job even faster and better. After all someone who doesn't have an eye for design could generate some things, but they'll likely lack the experience and knowledge to know if it's any good and/or what could be better. Another thing with designs in particular is copyright, a lot of AI generated things won't have any copyright, I doubt companies will want their logo to not be copyrighted.

[@Asturev]

copium

[@mikesmith542]

So copywrite laws will be changed to adapt to the new environment of AI generated logos. The whole lack experience argument is complete nonsense. The AI is determining whether or not it's good and that's the whole point. Instead of a client asking an artist for specific things they want from their logo and the general aesthetic of their company, they'll just plug it into AI. At some point we are all going to laugh at these people who believed that artists were not replaceable and that AI just wouldn't get any better. Imagine the hubris of some dude with an arts degree thinking his work is more indispensable than a trucker driver or factory worker.

[@paulbloxham1068]

As an illustrator and someone about to turn 60, who started on Adobe Pagemaker and Aldus Freehand, and for more than 25 all the usual Adobe apps - while I see Adobe's purpose behind introducing these 'made easy' AI assisted approaches, for me its time to get my 'real' oil paints out. Where is the fun in typing, or worse, selecting a style, and hey presto! Luckily I live in a small world heritage town in SEAsia where a 'hand made' approach works but I wouldnt want to be a young illustrator or designer starting out in London or some big commercial centre. It will require a different range of skillsets to those people I grew up with needed for sure.

[@hebaalamri7815]

wisdom words

[@martinh4982]

As a hobbyist tinkerer in the field of design, I actually like the process of masking stuff, fiddling with colours, experimenting with the tools etc. My designs might well be quite janky an amateurish, but they're my janky and amateurish designs :)

[@napostrophen]

Having mockups already in illustrator is interesting. I wonder what could happen to people using/no longer using photoshop to handle mockups

[@GlobalTribesArt]

we can simply raise your prompting literacy by working thru it in iteration>improve>iteration>improve the prompt.letsgooo Will

[@robote7679]

Just a thought from a retired designer on one opinion you stated. "Personally I think it will allow designers to work a lot faster". A bit of paraphrasing but I get the point. I was a young traditional graphic designer back in late 1986 around the time Illustrator came out. In a double page spread in a graphics magazine Illustrator advertised how you could do twice as much in half the time. Imagine all that time you'll save-that last bit is from me. Well from the instant I saw that ad I knew the future was going to be not on art tables with parallel rulers but on computers. A year later I had my first Mac and was working in Illustrator. I loved it and continue to love it even now retired. That said the first big reality I discovered-for me at least-is you never really discover hours of free time. As soon as I started using that enhanced Illustrator capability there was an immediate market response. Now I was expected to generate three to four times more product. Like I said I would never chose to go back to a pre-illustrator time. But after 40years I do think I have a more sober outlook on how these things generally work out.

[@willpatersondesign]

Really interesting point you've made! :)

[@korincorinthian]

This mockup tool is exciting, can't wait for them to optimize it.

[@ryanasazaki1291]

The thing about vector graphics is that precision, that is being precise is needed, while with raster-based graphics with things like image generations you can be less precise, since it is less noticeable. So until the A.I. learns how to create a symmetrical, precise vector art, with precise negative spacing and such, the result will always be subpar and need further manual adjustment, compared to a professional designer.

[@MillywiggZ]

There’s AI in the 3D industry too now. What those guys pointed out was how come these AI guys focus on creation from nothing like a 3D human from a button press rather than useful things like re-topology, UV mapping assistance, removing intersecting meshes that would be helpful?

[@SquishyJoshy]

The mockup one is crazy! I wasn't even aware of it til now!

[@david_arthur_brown]

Someone said a little while back that "AI is a great way of making low quality work quickly" and it's still in the stage for many things. There is a parallel with the introduction of computers into the design studio that most of your viewers will probably not have experienced. AI taking away Photoshopping images? Images were retouched by hand long before Photoshop existed (by people who's job was called "Photo Retoucher". Ditto typesetting, finished artwork, prepress... It's not that AI will simply take your job; it's that it'll give it to someone else.

[@Gnarcos]

I'm colorblind so the color pallet tool is going to help me so much!

[@eyemonsterstudios]

I tried Generative AI yesterday on a project, a comp for a major brand store poster. Used both PSD and Illustrator. It actually slowed me down. Felt like I was being forced to play in a tiny sandbox with broken toys. Anyway, AI doesn't work for my shop because it doesn't come up with visual concepts or marketing ideas, which is the business I'm in. The art or animation is the end of a long process, it's not the process itself. On a side note, I can spot AI generated content a mile away; it all has that same high contrast, hyper-real feel.

[@lichtbach10012]

The mockups thing is a game changer

[@salwatching]

If we are worried about losing jobs, it means we're concerned that people who pay us to do stuff would rather pay someone else. Of course they will. As designers, we see the difference in standards - we know good from bad. BUT - the average paying customer doesn't. They want to pay as little as possible for as much as possible. (don't we all!) So who cares what we, designers, think. If our clients think they can get their requirements met elsewhere, that's where they'll go - elsewhere. They'll go that route with a smile on their faces while we run alongside shouting, "Can't you see the tweaks that still need to be made? Can't you see that the lines lines/fonts/colors... aren't right?" Nope. They can't. Sorry folks - AI came by and collected your paycheck.

[@etiennegp]

Exactly! I'm a designer myself, and I'm sure design won't be enough in the few years. I'm scared, but I'm not lying about it like the others out there who find it hard to admit they are getting slowly replaced. The problem isn't that the creative thinking can't be replaced by AI. The problem is that people don't even value creative thinking because of ai. I have this quote from Patrick Bet David: The moment the narrative shifts and people stop believing that a college degree is required for career success, the value proposition gets destroyed. Now we got to take advantage of ai by analyzing it. It's a threat to design and its a competitor.

[@rosycspencer]

where do you get the images that you will use to make your mockups? For example the can. Do you pay for Adobe Stock?

[@SqueakyWeasel247]

Why do you feel it's OK for photographers or photo retouchers to be sidelined but not your niche … don't fight it Will, go with it and OWN IT!

[@david_arthur_brown]

I found the mockup feature OK for sketching/checking approximate fit but it didn't fit well enough to present to a client and it it didn't look integrated into the photos, but I'm sure it'll get better. The text to vector was a waste of time. I felt the AI generated images looked amateurish and cheesy like you were working in Canva or something. But again it will improve. The retype feature is good as long as the font is available and not just "the nearest font available" but if you're working for a brand you should have their correct fonts anyway. All in all it's a step in the right direction and I'm sure the more we use it the more it'll learn from us.

[@jameslawrence9167]

I've tried text to vector a few times but each time it's been dreadful! Great potential though.

[@photomat]

AI can make what you think up. It cannot think up concepts or reason behind a concept. If you play with AI generated images when you have a clear picture in your head you need to be very specific, be more specific, be more specific once again and you'll be at several rounds of generated material before you're somewhere you like to be.

[@thewebstylist]

Man I just wish so many of our fav creatives wouldn’t sell out to the least creative web design platform (Wordpress has some of the best custom design flexibility, but it’s a free install so they don’t have an advertising budget unfortunately) Great highlights video and inspires me to get more into Illustrator! 🎉

[@MillywiggZ]

Brain to hand design will become like vinyl, still there but more of a hipster thing. It takes two people to decide what art is. The artist and the viewer. If the viewer is very complacent of what art is then the artist may adapt to that. Problem is that art is born from a reason to create something. A historical moment, escapism, something clever you thought of, something interesting you saw, etc. AI art isn’t born from intention and a reach to communicate that to someone you’ll never meet. Also, what’s stopping the AI overlords from *stopping* you from creating certain things because it goes against some TOS or a political figure. It is worrying and fascinating at the same time. Hopefully art will become more of a sport like packing theatres similar to Jim Lee V Kim Jung Gi.

[@fireproofart5526]

Did you see HBO season two of WestWorld where Dolores was working, by talking to her computer and it was generating a whole freaken movie. Thats what I think we will be doing in the future. Type Westworld Dolores writing her story

[@naomigoeller6411]

Graphic Designers are safe for now, because for AI to work properly one has to clearly communicate what they want.

[@mickjayplays]

I've messed with Text to Vector pretty extensively and it really looks like they just did a Photoshop style image generate and then did a bad trace of it. I'm not super impressed. But what it seems really good for is for base concept art and storyboarding. You can build quick and dirty scenes with just a few layers and prompts. But there's no way AI is replacing us yet.

[@andrewsmith6772]

Really a great video overall

[@willpatersondesign]

Thanks!

[@Data_Girl_111]

Personally, I know plenty of designers that just aren’t skilled. I think some of them are here, in these comment section, way too hyped about some of these advancements. If people have skills to illustrate and be creative, they won’t consider using illustrator to completely rip off someone else’s style. I absolutely believe you shouldn’t be able to just drag anyone’s work into Illustrator (or any program) and ask it to copy it without their consent. It’s so disturbing that it’s happening at all, and at the expense of the talented people who have afforded this company to become what it is. I personally feel betrayed by Adobe.

[@xbakslash]

This is really crazy and awesome

[@blah914]

an issue with this for professional designers is that if you sell Ai work without informing your clients, you're comitting fraud, and in some instances when selling graphic designs and illustrations, they cant be copyrighted which will be an issue for your client. weve already had issues at work w some designers passing off AI as their own work and I cannot tell you fast they got fired.

[@tright6]

I used to think Adobe, out of all all companies, used images they actually own to train their models, but unfortunately it's been found that there are artists names as keywords, meaning they use their art to train the AI.

[@JamesWilliam70]

I've used it at work and it's easy to spend allot of time deleting and refining. Okay for kicking an idea off, but i wouldnt use it for finished art.

[@commonwunder]

Did 'X' adopt your design changes/suggestion to their logo... or did they keep it the same as their original release version?

[@richardcarr3172]

If AI could identify clients who are going to be a PITA that really would help the design community

[@KhalGT]

My rule number one in work ethics is that you do something that cannot be automated.

[@sloppynyuszi]

I think KZbinrs need to be more aware that not everyone is camera and social media savvy and can rely on a fanbase to make money. I don’t hold anything against people that do, as it’s hard work, and smart. Still that’s not how most designers/illustrators work. 90% of work is mid to low level companies who really just want something within reasonable rate. Some stuff like making masking easier, recognising fonts, etc, people are fine with. It’s the text generated stuff people don’t like and the style picker tool. It’s fine for established people to be perfectionists and charge more, but reality is this will just make already tight deadlines tighter and rates lower. And what does adapting and moving with the times mean? Learn to type your art, and become a marketing PR person so you can become an online celebrity and make a living wage. That’s kinda crap to be honest. 😢

[@willpatersondesign]

That's a good point. I would also say that as we go into the future we need to take lessons from the past - protecting jobs now whilst also innovating. :)

[@ondrejnavratil5000]

Perfect sum up of the situation

[@Bukkake2023]

If you have just started or thinking about graphic design? Don’t bother the profession will be obsolete very very soon

[@ihasninjaskillz]

are the arrows that pop up in the video ai generated too?

[@stevek4654]

Agree, the more I use these tools the less I am worried about them as a brand identity artist.

[@Design-hq5dn]

That's great

[@ochenjonah]

It’s crazy

[@kudahmaps9895]

Damn AI is replacing me slowly

[@TysonFMolemela]

Design based CD here.. I love AI help, it's convenient, but I agree that it's far from replacing real designers

[@logotronix.]

❤

[@driesanalog4187]

7:10 it's never that good ..... yet! These updates are all in Beta - and I can't imagine how good they will be in 3-5 years.

[@chessshyrecat]

What a weird argument. Generative AI is something thought up in the early 20th century and been worked on since then. It only recently started working at all and to this degree because of the processing power available now. Before that it was just a theoretical possibility. You assume just because it is marketed for about a year now it must be brand new and brand new means it must grow exponentially in its development. Self driving cars for customers is still not a thing and drone parcel services died down even though everyone was hyped for that. You have no idea if it will much better than it is now and how soon the ability for it to get better might cap. Especeially because the data the big companies are stealing to create these models already starts to get their first defences against stealing that data. The techonolgy is also extremely energy hungry to create and it is not like humans are in the position where they should increase their need for energy even more if not necessary. Which in this case it isn't really, is it? AI models are only as good as the data it has been fed and how much data it got. Their has been no development or improvment in how the models learn as far as I'm aware of. I'm not even sure if there is a way to improve it or if it is the only way for a maschine to learn. They just fed more data into the same algorythm. Their is only so much data you can feed these systems and the numbers are already crazy high now. Also people already working on limiting the access to data.

[@Heisenburg17]

It’s already hard for designers, in 1-2 years nobody needs them.

[@willpatersondesign]

They'll be needed! They said that about designers when the computer became a household norm :)

[@Asturev]

I dont think they will. My clients already know about the existence of AI and need me less and less each day. They are also willing to pay less because before now they think i use AI and simply write stuff in a promt

[@Heisenburg17]

@@Asturev my biggest client, started asking if I can implement ai into my workflow so he can pay me less but have the same quality. I said no because of many reasons, so he is,just basically waiting to replace me in about 1 year.

[@thearabicdp]

I really hate that box that pops up! It hinders my editing. They should just keep it on the side.

[@david_arthur_brown]

You can hide it. Same with the irritating "rich" tool tips.

[@DesignWho]

Logo Launch!! 1:29

[@willpatersondesign]

🔥

[@shyamvibe9890]

👍

[@chuchuchutrain6735]

What's incredible is how a billion-dollar company like Adobe is so far behind even Open Source models like Stable Diffusion, not to mention paid models like Midjourney or Dall-e3. Yes, it's true that Adobe is starting to move, but why did it take them so long? Have you tried creating logos with Dall-e3? Considering that you can not only generate interesting possibilities but also write complete briefs about the generated logo, or even logos generated by yourself. I hope Adobe starts to take artificial intelligence more seriously and begins to move faster, they surely are into it but not fast enough.

[@MF_Plissken]

ai gives people just another charactermask to compete in the everso downgrading ratrace of the profit rates. and it will destroy the income of many people.

[@friusmagnius6368]

Hi, I love your videos! I would like you to show us how to create a logotype for a cleaning company but without being generic. I mean they all look the same. Would apreciate! Thanks :)

[@expectationlost]

Very aggressive of them to shove it in the properties panel.

[@-_Nuke_-]

Right now the AI stuff, are either aiding the professionals - or backstabbing the amatures - because the amatures think that they can become professionals using AI... And they can't... So AI right now is a great thing! But in the future, this might change - to the point where we all lose our jobs... Who knows? But if an amature is able to do something very good using AI, imagine what a professional can do! So... I don't know... When photography came out for the first time, painters kind of lost their jobs. But painters using photography didn't steal the jobs from painters - photographers did... So its not the same... Because today, graphic designers are going to steal the job from other graphic designers... So its not like a different profession is going to steal our jobs - its the SAME profession - just done by armatures rather than professionals. So im not so much worried, but who knows?

[@Asturev]

Graphic Desigh is now an obsolete profession

[@Nuke_Skywalker]

sadly we live in capitalism and need money to survive so this is pretty fucked up.

[@MoreCreativeGFX]

I love AI

[@timz9862]

Anyone that is a self-respecting illustrator will not use AI. Graphic designers will use it because they always have unrealistic deadlines to meet and are also pretty lazy. I’ve worked as both a designer and illustrator for almost 30 years. Designers are a pretty lazy bunch, always looking for shortcuts to do things. It might not be their fault, once again because of the deadlines imposed upon them by sales people and marketing people that are only looking to make money. Illustrators generally care more about their work. They might use AI for reference, but a real illustrator would never include any AI elements in their final work. Pentagram is the perfect example of a lazy design agency that just wants to make money.

[@mrkbrn3s]

the mockup is very helpful… but the inevitable will come soon unfortunately and will take over jobs

[@madartzgraphics2019]

I'm not scared at all since AI looks like an overrated stuff (if not a fad) for now, this is coming from a techy person who knows a lot of stuff computer related from building scraps to complex software. It's just worrying for now since a lot of influx of traffic over AI related contents pulled graphic design interest away from us in the mean time. I know a lot of people feeling this since middle of the year (I asked everyone and they feel it) but I'm expecting everything to recover this year when they realize AI can't replace graphic designers or logo designers at all. Without us, these complex algorithm won't work properly. I'm more scared about the privacy and copyright issues these AI developers are threading in thin line we need to regulate this bunch of technologies to prevent abuse.

[@glitchtulsa3429]

Here's my take, disagree if you like, but they've given the machine the creative job and left us to do the grunt work of cleaning up its mistakes. We have been demoted to interns for the machine, and have effectively become the middleman between the client and the software. Sooner, rather than later, they will eliminate that middleman. What used to take me days to do by hand, the machine spits out in a matter of seconds. To be blunt we are being made redundant, and soon will be deemed as replaceable. Find a new line of work--this one is quickly becoming obsolete.

[@thespartanjello5056]

its about cheap labor,designers will stay...selling 1000+ ai images in design packs for 3$.once you know junk words u need to stuff in prompt you are pro lvl designer.

[@homeoffice3524]

Yeah in the end it's not helping at all. It just make job like classic factory job and you need to click one button for job is done. Really boring and prices for photo editing even in master😂level are close to nothing. Totally dead industry. I even say massive backwards. From professional job with skills to one button clicking what 7bil people can do without any knowledge.

[@Darfaultner]

No head??? No wonder he's not walking

[@TUBROH]

wow im first i thnk :|

[@DesignWho]

you ARE first!!

[@willpatersondesign]

Yes you are!

[@earlgrayman982]

AI is a great tool but I think as impressive as it is, it's going to generate a lot of derivative works. Real creatives are going to simultaneously be valued for standing apart from the pack of banality and samey-ness and its gonna put so many out of work, disillusioning a lot of artists that could have been great had they followed their own voice. It's also going to be bad for deadlines because when you look at how long things used to take in advertising and design to now where the deadlines are already ridiculous, we're going to see it turn into a meat grinder for creatives using this as a tool. The deadline will be horrific because art directors and clients are going to want things yesterday and when they can't get it faster than lightning they'll be doing it themselves. Its. very bad feedback loop.

[@chessshyrecat]

How can you stand apart in a world where it is accpeted to take that voice from you and use it with out your consent? I mean it was even in this video. Adobe is like, oh you want to steal a different style? We think that is ok and you should be aloud to do that. Let us help you. Here is a tool that will steal that style for you. If this isn't getting really strong regulations, style alone is of no value anymore.

[@mkm1015]

AI will destroy graphic design and make 90% of designers redundant. The same will happen to web developers soon.

[@willpatersondesign]

I don't think that's true.

[@gonebymidnight2881]

it’s definitely true man, not only that but also filmmakers and actors at a later stage of AI evolution. I’m currently seeing advancements in those areas that are far from scary, it’s over

[@Behindstage]

@@willpatersondesign if AI gets to the point of destroying the creative industry then it will effect every other industry the same..every industry so it’s not worth worrying about,It’s easy to assume this will happen but it could very well be AI is just another tool of many and it won’t destroy the industry but enhance it. Or it will continue to just be crap like it currently basically is.

[@1nteract1ve]

People made similar claims with previous technical innovations. Indeed innovation does disrupt, but many people find ways to adapt and even thrive.

[@juurstudio]

@@Behindstage Well yeah, ML is most likely gonna affect or change completely pretty much every field, including medicine, engineering, data security, banking, architecture, you name it, so the best approach is to just keep up with it as much as possible and make ML as part of your creative process.

[@MrNobodyX3]

At its current state I see it as a quick concept maker. I don't believe Ai will ever get the creativity factor of human made things.

[@przemekgacka1565]

How can professional designer say "I don't know how I feel" about stealing other designers style of work? It's way beyond me...

[@willpatersondesign]

Can you own a style? If you do, how would you prove that no other style influenced your own style? The answer isn't so easy when you ponder.

[@hebaalamri7815]

This AI is scaring me so much. They are making the human brain so lazy, not active, no art thinking, no brain use. Just start stupied genreation will come!! :( and the sad part of this story is that much sh*t will sell in the media. This is insane.

[@Motivo-256]

Please please please sir stop using this picture on your thumbnail i think you need to update now thanku ❤❤❤

[@willpatersondesign]

:(

[@vinayakbarwade4356]

Actually I am new in graphic design field. We all are bit nervous about AI. As a human being I can say don't worry about future. It is just mysterious. Prediction is going on by lots of people that won't change the future Whatever has to happen it will happen. Except third world war. When I first come to know about cognitive science I felt that it is possible to simulate this whole world in a computer program. So as I said I am just a biginer in graphic design and I have my fingers crossed so that whatever resources and dreams I have to earn money and live life comfortably will come true. In god's name Ameen ❤

[@Asturev]

leave graphic design before its too late

[@blah914]

You mgith want to tidy up that AI editiing. Your sound is massively outta sync.

[@scrumptiousgobbledygook7377]

When you download an image of vector art and trace it in illustrator. You get a vector art that you can change and tweak to your liking. Does that make it yours? The art showed in the video looks like traced art from the adobe stock. Just because it's created out if your illustrator doesn't make it yours. It's still someone else's art. It's still just a vector you took from someone else. Stop calling it a threat to designers. Image generators won't replace photographer's creativity. "Vector generator" won't replace a designer's innovation lmao. Y'all are just acting like a child with a new toy. Let the hype go down you'll see who even uses it. Is someone going to buy The expensive adobe apps just to use generator to create a logo. No clients are gonna have enough time to do that.

[@nicolaslondon]

I'm sure this review will not be very honest

[@willpatersondesign]

It's pretty damn honest :)

[@Mania26]

have this AI shity options...

[@etiennegp]

Total cope