Why I don’t fear being replaced by AI

Illustration courtesy of MidJourney

Adapt or die.

That’s the common advice for those who don’t want to become obsolete in their chosen profession.

The world of design and marketing has experienced several seismic shifts over the past 40 years: desktop publishing, digital photography, the web, social media, and now AI. Those who resisted these changes did die (in the career-ending sense of the word) but there’s a big difference between adapting to new technology and being replaced by it.

It’s impossible to have a conversation about design in 2025 without someone inevitably asking, “Are you worried that you’ll be replaced by AI?” My answer two years ago was “no” and I haven’t changed my mind.

I admit that the AI revolution will affect all aspects of our lives, not just design and marketing, but for the sake of this post I’m going to limit my scope. There are plenty of deep-thinkers out there writing about AI and its world-bending potential.

Order-taker vs Guide

I’ve used MidJourney and Claude for client work but these tools are glorified order-takers — aggregating existing data and knowledge and recombining it. Apple’s recent AI brake-pumping is the result of its findings that the technology can’t really “think” at this nacent stage. AI can replace order-takers, but not guides and advisers.

When I guide a client through the brand development process, I’m more than just an order-taker. I listen, I relate, I reflect, I uncover, I collaborate. These are high-touch interactions that my clients value; and their testimonials speak as much about the experience and the process as they do about the designs I deliver.

There have always been clients who prefer a low-touch design experience — sometimes it’s limited budgets, sometimes it’s a reluctance to invest time in a thoughtful design process, sometimes it’s simply ignorance about what is possible. For these clients there are fast and inexpensive online design options.

Human Connection

The Pandemic pushed all of us into Zoom silos and we’ve only recently begun to reconnect. Most people (even introverts like me) prefer human connection — which AI cannot replace.

AI tools provide high convenience but low human value. They are simply tools and not a replacement for human interaction. The time and effort I invest in personally engaging with my clients is a big part of the value I provide as a design professional.

I can imagine a not-too-distant future in which fully-autonomous AI designers will develop brand strategies, create logos, and design websites. But I believe there will always be clients who desire the human experience, even when the quality of design deliverables between a human and AI are difficult to distinguish. Recorded music has existed for over 100 years and yet people still pay hundreds of dollars to experience music in a live venue.

Not every designer will be replaced by AI but, if we wish to endure in our chosen field, we will need to adapt to new technology and market our value beyond simply taking orders and producing a product.

Note: this article was conceived, written and edited by me, a human.