February 24, 2026
Like many creative teams, we’ve started incorporating AI into parts of our workflow to help us move faster, explore more ideas, and spend less time on repetitive production tasks. It has become a useful creative assistant, especially during the early stages of a project when we’re exploring possibilities and looking for inspiration.
That said, AI is not replacing the role of the designer. The best work still comes from the experience, judgment, and creativity of the people behind it. AI can generate options, but it can’t determine whether an idea is right for our audience, aligned with our brand, or solving the right problem. Every output still requires a designer’s eye to shape, refine, and elevate it.
As the technology continues to evolve, we’re learning where AI provides the most value and identifying the tools we want to invest in more deeply as a team.
Exploring Ideas Faster
One of the most valuable uses of AI is during concept development. Instead of spending hours creating multiple visual directions from scratch, designers can quickly explore themes, backgrounds, styles, and creative concepts using prompts and reference imagery.
This gives us the freedom to test more ideas, consider a wider range of possibilities, and align on a direction earlier in the process.
Tools we use: Firefly*, Nano Banana, Midjourney, Gemini*, ChatGPT
Bringing Ideas to Life More Quickly
AI is also helping us create rough mockups and prototypes faster than ever before. Whether we’re exploring layout options, visualizing an event space, or creating a first draft of a presentation, AI can help us get something tangible in front of stakeholders sooner.
For example, we recently used AI to visualize trade show booth concepts in a real-world setting before production began. In another case, AI helped generate a first draft of a presentation deck, allowing the team to spend more time refining the story and design rather than building every slide from scratch.
Tools we use: Figma Make*, Canva AI, Krea
Streamlining Production Work
AI has also become a helpful production tool. It can generate simple graphic elements, expand imagery to fit different formats, and improve photo quality when source files aren’t large enough for the intended use.
Recently, we used Topaz Photo AI to extend and enhance an AI-generated image for a 13’ × 13’ trade show display. What might have taken hours of manual retouching was completed much more efficiently while still meeting our quality standards.
Tools we use: Firefly*, Nano Banana, Topaz Photo AI
At its best, AI gives our designers more time to focus on the work that matters most: creative thinking, problem solving, storytelling, and crafting experiences that connect with our audience.