A surface pattern designer’s thoughts about AI.
Thoughts about AI from Australian Surface Pattern Designer, Helen Boughen.
Should we be worried? Can it harm us? What does it mean for product-based businesses?
Like it or loathe it- it’s here to stay.
I thought I didn’t like AI at all. And then I realised I was using it way more than I thought. Every time Netflix suggests a show I would enjoy. Every time I type a question into Google. I had to admit- it’s pretty handy at times.
But then there are some aspects of AI I’m not keen on at all. And I think if we aren’t intentional about how we use it, it could cause some pretty major problems in the future.
One of the biggest issues when it comes from a Creative’s point of view is that I believe it could really dumb us down creatively.
Think back to the time before we had washing machines and vacuum cleaners. House work took a whole lot more effort and time. Are we thankful for modern day appliances? YES! (I personally love my Roborock vacuum cleaner- another AI friend of mine.) But are these helpful time-saving machines also bad for our health? They definitely can be! I watched a show recently- Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones which backed up what most of us probably already know and ignore. Modern day appliances are creating more time for us to sit in a stagnant position for most of the day in front of a screen and we are getting far less exercise because of them. Our ancestors and friends for countries without the modern day conveniences are generally far more fit and healthy.
Here’s the kicker- what modern day appliances have the potential to take away from our fitness, AI has the potential to take away from our mental health and creativity. We were all made to be creative. All of us express our creativity in different ways. If we let AI write our letters and paint our artworks and express our feelings, will we lose the ability to express our creativity in the way we were designed to? Will our ‘creativity muscle’ deteriorate? Furthermore than this- if we are using AI for these things instead of paying a Creative/Artisan/Designer to do it for us, we are also using AI to take away their income and creativity.
But in a way, I’m not so concerned about this because I also know that nothing can replicate the beautiful creative essence of a human being. We have the ability to think up and design such beautifully, awe-inspiring poems and designs and masterpieces that AI could never match up to. Because we have a soul.
Notice how I said previously that modern day appliances and AI have the potential to take away our health and creativity? It’s up to us how we use them! If we just mindlessly use AI to do something that we could creatively do ourselves while we sit back and relax all the time- yeah, that could definitely create a problem. But if we refuse to allow it to help us become mentally and creatively lazy, and only ask it to do the things we actually really need it for, it could become a great asset to our creative practices!
So when it all comes down to it, I think YES- because AI will be a big part of our future and it’s here to stay, we need to be intentional about the way we use it. We need to think critically about how and when we will use it and why. We need to ask ourselves if the way we’re using it is taking away someone else’s income or creativity. Is it taking away the essence of what makes your project special?
If you’re a product-based business and you want to stand out in a world full of AI designs, I would highly recommend working with a surface pattern designer when creating your products. In a world full of AI and stock standard designs- the products that are really going to stand out by a long shot above the competition are unique, bespoke, custom designs because they were made with SOUL!
xo Helen
Hello! I’m Helen.
I’m an artist and surface pattern designer and I absolutely LOVE to collab with brands to make their products SHINE. If you’d like to create a deeper connection with your customers through a warm, unique, custom design- feel free to reach out to me. I’d love to hear all about your story and vision!