AI is actually a client's problem, not a designer's problem
· 3 min read · Rohan Kumar
Why a designer's first job is helping clients understand what AI can do, and what it can't.
As a designer, your first job should be to teach your client about AI's capabilities: what it can do, and what it can't.
Most people think AI is all about getting work done fast and easy. In my experience, the best thing you can get from AI is to learn. It's remarkable how you can learn almost anything. The moment a question hits you, you ask an AI and it tells you.
You can pick up new skills as you try different AI platforms, not just chatbots but vibe coding (Lovable), Opal, and ElevenLabs. They're all different, but each one sparks a new energy in you about that specific topic.
Why your clients need to know
Coming back to the point: why do you need to make your clients aware of AI? Because it's definitely not built for execution yet. It can surprise you with amazing results, but it's still not even close to giving you precisely what you asked for.
My overall AI experience is amazing, but it lacks where it matters.
Recently I tried it on a real project to see how far it could help me. Even though AI has all the knowledge, it doesn't know how to use it or when to use it. It's heavily dependent on the prompt you give. The more detailed the prompt, the closer it gets to your expectations.
The problem is, you can't hold everything in your head. For example, if I want to do positioning for a client in health and fitness, I can't just hand AI the information I have and expect a foolproof plan.
If I were doing it manually, I'd go step by step. I'd have my own findings about that business and my work for that client. I'd observe, analyze, talk to the client, and get a feeling for their intentions: their motives, how motivated they sound, how much they can invest without them even telling me. I might shift, add, or remove whatever does or doesn't need to be in that plan.
AI? It will almost never do this. It can't read your emotions in a chat. It can't understand your calm or your frustration. It definitely won't go outside the box and give you something you haven't even asked for. A human does all that.
Logos and identity: where AI falls short
The same applies to designing a logo or visual identity, and here I must say, AI sucks. It's not even close to what designers are doing.
Yes, it can surprise you with really amazing designs that take most designers 10+ years to master. But it can't give you exactly what you asked for. Control over detail is a superpower AI doesn't have, and probably won't have anytime soon.
It'll keep getting better at surprising you, giving you more than you asked for, making you feel fulfilled. But:
A good business doesn't run on surprises. It runs on execution.
If they still choose AI, let them
Even after you explain all this, if your client decides to go ahead with AI, let them be. They're the same people who were using Canva (no disrespect) when serious designers were learning technical software and tools. They were okay with quick templates and basic edits. They're the same people who find these AI surprises charming and adjust themselves to whatever AI gives them.
A good client still hires a designer, and asks them to use AI if needed. They don't give a f*** about what you do, as long as your work justifies the payment.
Before I go
I must say, AI is less of a designer problem and more of a client problem. They need to understand what's good for them.
Designers were solving problems before. They will continue to do so.
Bye for now!
