The irony of being asked to reproduce a logo that ChatGPT created

Recently I was asked to reproduce a logo that ChatGPT created.

The irony was not lost on me.

The reality is oftentimes Gen AI can generate speedy visuals based on input from a human, resulting in quick-win visuals that “will do the job”.

Redoing the job of a bot that has been asked to essentially replace my job in the branding process because it didn’t quite hit the mark is pretty telling of Gen AI’s capabilities when it comes to creating brand identities with real substance.

Why not cut out the middle man bot and go straight from client to designer?

Don’t get me wrong, I am learning (as we all are) that there are ways to utilise AI to our advantage within our businesses. Something I want to delve further into this year. But in instances like this when the client has acknowledged what’s lacking from the bot-generated logo and sees that it needs a designers touch to “human it up a bit”. Why not just cut out the middle man and instead focus on:

• Briefing well so that you more quickly arrive at the desired result.

• Think about the brand strategically, instead of simply asking tech to “generate me a logo similar to…. or that looks like {insert brand name here}” which (in my opinion) is simply adding to the noise of what already exists.

• Focus on building a relationship between a trusted design partner and yourself. Someone who can get to know your business and brand inside out and respond creatively to your needs. Yes, AI can respond, but I question - can it truly listen?

• Creating a brand with both meaning and method that can be built upon in the future as your business grows. Often Gen AI can give us quick win, one-time visuals, but this can make building upon an identity really tricky (and limiting) in the future. Instead, focusing on designing a brand with a core idea or concept at the heart results in a more future-proofed design that will stand the test of time.

It’s all well and good me saying “why not cut out the middle man and go straight from client to designer” but the reality is, in a world that is only getting more expensive, budgets are tightening and many are turning to tools like Gen AI to assist with building their brands. I really do appreciate that working directly with a designer, especially for startups and solopreneurs is not always affordable.

That’s why I am building a budget-friendly online toolkit for freelancers and founders. My goal is for it to empower business owners and freelancers to confidently create their own visual identity without the upfront cost of hiring a designer. We all know that AI enables you to create your own branding quickly and for free but does it empower you to create branding with true meaning and depth?

If you’re ready to take the step to build an identity with meaning and method that stands out from the crowd (and the bots!) the BETA version of the toolkit is launching later this year. Join the waitlist now to keep up to date when it launches.

If you’re not sure what I mean when I talk about creating a brand in a strategic, meaningful way, check out my latest post where I break down a brand identity I created for a client Brighton Fibre. 

Thanks for reading. I appreciate that inboxes are full at the moment so congrats and thanks if you made it to the bottom of this! I’d love to continue the conversation elsewhere - connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn or even over a coffee IRL

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👋 Hi, I’m Maddy, A creative designer living and working in Norwich. I’ve been working in the industry for over 8 years and I’m passionate about helping businesses to connect to their brands’ spirit so we can show the world who they are through thoughtful and courageous branding. I work with founders, brand strategists and team leaders to create new brands and reimagine existing ones. You can find out more about what I do here.