AI ethical considerations in creative design – are you thinking about them?
As a new wave enters the creative space, the ethical implications of using AI and its powers are becoming more of a concern among creatives, business owners, and the general public.
As we begin to explore its possibilities across multiple industries, the design and creative sectors are too experiencing new doors opening. We’ve seen AI used in the creation of marketing assets, to explore brand design, to generate collateral at lightning speeds – but at what cost?
In this article, we’ll explore that question, and give you a 3 step framework to ensure you can ethically enjoy the magic of AI.
Understanding AI in Creatives
From a creative perspective, AI allows designers, marketers, copywriters, and many others to supercharge their output.
Here are some ways you can expect to find creatives using AI:
- To speed up content creation for marketing campaigns
- To analyse the success (or failures) of marketing campaigns
- To generate web copy for websites and landing pages
- To design branded assets
- To generate design inspiration for large-scale projects
- To boost moodboards and design conceptions
The list goes on.
We’re seeing top AI tools being used in 3 key areas when it comes to design and creative roles:
Inspiration
First up, AI tools such as DALL.E 3, Mid Journey and Khroma take away hours of trial and error. DALL.E 3 and Mid Journey can test and explore multiple design directions in seconds, and Khroma offers color palette combinations backed by industry analysis.
Analysis
For marketers in particular, AI provides detailed analyses of analytics with tools such as Google Ads, Glassbox and Hubspot. This not only helps marketers understand the impact of campaigns in real-time, but it also means that designers can reactively –often proactively– revise campaigns as they’re happening to yield better results.
Generation
And of course, AI tools have opened new possibilities for creative output, too. Adobe Firefly uses text prompts to generate high-quality images, Jasper can write long-form copy in a learned tone of voice, and Canva offers AI design generation for those with less design experience.
Ethical Considerations
Yes, AI can accelerate creative processes, but it brings potential risks and ethical dilemmas.
Bias in AI-Generated Content
One of the primary concerns is the presence of bias in AI-generated content. If the AI’s data source is biased, it will likely replicate (and even amplify) those biases. Reinforcing stereotypes in visual designs, for example.
Originality and Copyright Issues
If work is AI-generated, who owns it? There’s a grey area here when it comes to intellectual property rights, as AI draws from existing data to perform. Because of this, no AI-generated content can be truly original.
Transparency in AI Decision-Making
How do AI tools arrive at their outputs or recommendations? If an AI tool suggests a specific design layout or color scheme, understanding why (based on trends, data patterns, or user preferences) can help designers make more informed and intentional choices – and spot potential biases or errors.
Building an Ethical AI Framework
Here are 3 steps to consider when working with AI, to ensure ethical use:
- Define clear boundaries
It’s vital to lay the foundations and establish clear guidelines, boundaries, and standards of practice. What are your core values? What will guide the AI’s decision-making? What guidelines are in place for transparency and brand accountability? Collaboration among departments in an organization will help build these out.
- Ensure diversity and inclusion
The data that AI uses is an integral part of its output. It can only draw on the information it has, so it’s key to assess yours. Is it diverse, inclusive, and free of bias? Does the data that your AI uses to learn from align with your brand values, mission, and identity?
- Audit, audit, audit
Regularly assessing and redefining your processes, data sources, and AI workflows will ensure your AI-produced work stays ethically on-brand. As things change within your business, your teams, and even the world, so too must the data sources and systems you have in place for working safely and ethically with AI.
When used ethically, AI is a powerful, efficient tool
While AI and machine learning tools are undoubtedly an asset to creative teams, using them should come with caution. As we’ve seen, many areas can present risks to authenticity, damaging consumer trust and brand reputation.
Here at Design Force, we see the use of AI in creative spaces as a tool for inspiration and guidance, over a replacement for human skill. We don’t shy away from its powers, we embrace them, but we do so in a way that considers the ethical implications by regularly assessing and redefining the points we shared above – we encourage you to do the same.
If you’re interested in seeing how we can (ethically) optimize your creative process with AI enhanced design, get in touch. We can’t wait to show you what’s up our sleeve.
