Imagine a world where you no longer spend hours fine-tuning every small detail in a creative design.
Thanks to AI, that world is already here — and it’s rapidly transforming the design process. In fact, 61% of businesses have already adopted AI in some form, and by 2025, the number is set to skyrocket even further.
AI is opening new realms of creativity for businesses — and design happens to be one of them. From automated image generation to AI-powered photo editing, tools like Adobe’s Sensei and Venngage’s AI Infographic Generator are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
If you aren’t using AI for design, you aren’t keeping pace with your competitors.
We recently ran a survey among 292 marketers from around the world to gather insights on how AI is reshaping visual design. We have compiled these findings into an infographic below, summarizing the most interesting trends and predictions.
In the sections below, we’ll look at ways in which AI is transforming visual content. We’ll dive into the cutting-edge tools that are reshaping design workflows, highlight emerging trends and discuss how businesses are integrating AI to enhance their branding.
By the end of this post, you will have a clear understanding of AI’s growing role in visual design and the key trends set to shape the industry in 2025.
Click to jump ahead:
- Data-backed trends on AI in visual content
- How AI improves design creation
- Personalized designs powered by AI
- Design trends to watch out for in 2025
- How to use AI in design to stay ahead of the competition
Feel free to share the infographic with others in your network who might benefit from these insights to stay ahead of the latest trends.
Data-backed trends on AI in visual content
The numbers don’t lie — AI is revolutionizing the design world at a staggering rate, with businesses using AI-driven design tools reporting efficiency gains of up to 40%.
AI’s ability to automate routine tasks is a “game-changer” — it’s a word that kept coming up in our survey.
Tools like ChatGPT for brainstorming and Midjourney for visual exploration have been game-changers. AI is a powerful ally that helps us identify trends and tailor content for maximum engagement.
Alex Taylor, Head of Marketing, CrownTv
I’ve found tools like ChatGPT (for writing), Canva Magic Resize, and Adobe Sensei to be game-changers. They save time and give you more room to play with ideas. The real beauty of AI lies in its ability to help you experiment faster without getting bogged down by the nitty-gritty.
Sayem Ibn Kashem, Founder at FacileWay
AI for creative feedback has become a game-changer in refining design choices quickly and efficiently. With real-time insights on aspects like color schemes, typography, and layouts, AI allows our designers to adjust on the fly, ensuring each design element is just right.
Edward White, Head of Growth at beehiiv
Tools like Adobe’s Project Remix a Lot helps designers quickly create a design layout from a sketch which you can remix across a wide variety of sizes and shapes. This means slashing hours of manual work plus generating eye-popping designs.
This is just an example of the cutting-edge AI technologies that will soon become the new normal.
There are real-world examples that illustrate how powerful the tilt to AI is. Starbucks has an entire AI wing set-up — Deep Brew — to create personalized marketing campaigns for its customers. Spotify uses it to generate custom AI art based on…(wait for it) your playlist.
Here’s an example of AI artwork that Spotify generated based on Ed Sheeran’s songs playlist:
Again, this is only a glimpse of what AI is setting us up for the future. It’s like we are witnessing the spread of floppy disks when computers were still new. There’s a lot more on the horizon than we can imagine.
Claire Williams, Marketing Consultant, AI Content StrategistI’m constantly experimenting and testing the boundaries of what’s possible with AI. I have set up custom GPTs for various functions, including a sparring partner for ideas and problem-solving. I always, without fail, proofread and edit, as the human touch is absolutely necessary. Otherwise, it’s just bland and generic content that you get back.
I also use other tools, like Perplexity, for research and to fact-check what ChatGPT spits out. I use it to rewrite some texts too, which helps provide a broader perspective and some additional colour to the content.
How AI improves design creation
Before we dive deeper into the topic of how AI enhances the design process, this has to be said: AI isn’t here to replace designers — it’s here to enhance their creativity and simplify their work.
AI helps marketing and design teams automate repetitive tasks like resizing images, color correction, and layout adjustments. This means the humans can focus more on the creative and “thinking” aspects of their work. Instead of spending hours tweaking minute details, designers can use AI to create (and reiterate) multiple design variations in a matter of seconds.
One of the biggest benefits of AI is the time it saves for marketing teams.
But AI doesn’t just mean efficiency — it also helps you save costs. If your team that normally took two weeks to finalize a marketing campaign can now complete the same task in a matter of days. This frees up your resources for other initiatives. For businesses, that means a lot more output with less investment at a blazing-fast speed.
And the benefits extend to other areas of marketing, not just design.
AI has cut our campaign analysis time in half. We use AI to forecast interaction during content planning by analyzing past trends and comparable campaign types. We recently employed this strategy for a blog series. Within three months, organic traffic increased by 33% as a result of this approach. AI speeds up decisions without compromising quality.
Peter O’Callaghan, Head of Marketing at ScrapingBee
Like we discussed in the case of Starbucks and Spotify, AI also aids brands personalize their designs. For example, eCommerce stores like Stitch Fix use AI to analyze customer preferences and generate visually appealing product recommendations. And the benefit of doing this goes beyond saving time or money — it directly impacts sales.
We use OpenAI embeddings within our deep learning recommendation algorithms to interpret the textual feedback our clients share with us. When a client requests a Fix, our algorithms interpret the information the client has shared with us about their fit and style preferences to surface a selection of recommended items to our stylists.
Stitch Fix blog
AI tools also help businesses predict design performance. For instance, tools like EyeQuant help you analyze design elements to predict which visuals will attract the most attention, allowing brands to optimize their creatives before they even launch.
One notable real-world example of a brand that does is The New York Times, which uses AI to automate data visualization for their interactive stories, like this one:
Using AI in their design workflow saves NYT valuable time while still maintaining high-quality visuals.
Nestle also uses AI-powered design tools to quickly adapt product packaging for different regions to ensure brand consistency in its design. For example, Nestle might add a QR code to a product package that gives shoppers more info on its commitments for a sustainable environment or acts as a call to action — all without risking the regulatory need to include nutritional details.
Once again, these examples clearly show that AI doesn’t compete with designers but empowers them to be more efficient, innovative, and data-driven. AI helps design teams achieve faster growth and more meaningful engagement with their audiences.
Personalized designs powered by AI
As we move deeper into 2025, the ability to create visually appealing and relevant content is more critical than ever. Today’s consumers crave personalized experiences that reflect their unique preferences and needs.
This is where AI steps in, revolutionizing how small marketing teams approach design. AI tools can sift through vast amounts of data from previous campaigns, pinpointing what resonates with different audience segments. This capability transforms design from a subjective process into a data-driven strategy, making it easier for marketers to craft visuals that truly connect.
Consider the impact of automated customization. AI can adapt design templates in real-time based on user data, allowing marketing teams to create tailored content efficiently.
Platforms like Canva and Adobe Express lead the charge of enabling users to create high-quality visuals without extensive design backgrounds. With AI suggesting color schemes, typography, and layout adjustments, even the smallest teams can achieve professional results that reflect their brand identity.
AI goes beyond just historical analysis by incorporating user input. For instance, it can track customer preferences and behaviors to dynamically adjust designs and ensure that content feels personal and engaging.
Take Netflix, for example: their use of AI to curate viewing recommendations based on user history not only enhances user satisfaction but also drives retention. This kind of personalized touch builds trust and keeps customers coming back for more.
AI also helps marketers simplify testing and iterations. Traditional A/B testing can be labor-intensive, but AI simplifies this process by quickly generating and evaluating various design options.
Tools like Adobe Sensei analyze performance data in real-time to let marketers identify the most effective designs without the lengthy trial-and-error process. This accelerates the design development process and helps you make sure that the final output resonates well with the target audience.
Similarly, you save a significant amount of time and cost with AI. Small marketing teams can leverage these tools to create personalized designs without the need for a full-time designer. This means your two-people marketing team can focus on strategic planning and creative exploration rather than getting bogged down in technical details like the color of a call-to-action button or the copy in an ad.
In an era where personalized content is no longer optional, leveraging AI in design workflows is crucial for brands looking to thrive in the competitive landscape of 2025.
Design trends to watch out for in 2025
Design trends are evolving faster than ever, mostly driven by rapid advancements in AI and shifts in consumer expectations.
Unlike past trends that leaned heavily on stylistic changes, today’s shifts are deeply rooted in personalization, interactivity, and sustainability. Watch out for the following trends to make sure your brand’s visual content resonates with modern audiences and remains competitive in a fast-changing digital environment.
- AI-enhanced brainstorming and creative exploration
Marketing and design teams will increasingly rely on tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney for unconventional design ideas. This trend indicates a growing dependency on AI to push creative boundaries and inspire concepts that might otherwise be hard to envision.
Here’s what Brooke Webber, Head of Marketing at Ninja Patches has to say about coming up with unique design concepts using an AI tool:
One distinctive way we use Mid Journey is to reverse-engineer designs by deconstructing visual themes into unexpected pairings. For instance, we used Midjourney to blend “pixel textures” with “botanical elements” when brainstorming for a collection of “digital flora.”
The outcomes were wild – a mix of plants with glitch patterns, which encouraged us to craft patches that meld nature with digital art in ways we hadn’t visualized. This process has helped us cut down design trial phases by 35%.
Another unanticipated tool has been ChatGPT’s prompt engineering to explore unusual brand voice ideas for campaigns. We’ll prompt it to “imagine Ninja Patches as a retro sci-fi brand” or “if it were a 1980s adventure series.” These brainstorming sessions produce original, occasionally humorous copy ideas that keep our voice fresh and encourage more dynamic brainstorming.
Marketers recognize AI as a powerful tool to streamline workflows, but their biggest concern remains the risk of creating standardized, unoriginal content that fails to stand out.
- AI continues to be a co-creator, not a replacement
Despite AI’s growing role as a “creativity amplifier,” creative teams will continue using AI as a collaborator rather than a replacement for humans. Many prefer to limit AI’s use cases for analytical, data-heavy tasks while leaving the creative direction in human hands.
- Personalized and adaptive design through AI
AI tools like Adobe Sensei will enable marketing-savvy brands to deliver more personalized and tailored design solutions. Expect powerful AI features, such as trend and behavior analysis, to become commonplace in designing impactful campaign visuals.
- Streamlined decision-making and design efficiency
Whether it’s analyzing past campaigns or forecasting user engagement, AI tools are enabling designers to speed up design iterations and reduce trial phases. AI-powered tools like DALL-E and automated editing software will continue to simplify prototyping, speed up content creation and improve the overall design productivity.
- Automation of routine tasks
Expect a surge in demand for tools that automate tasks like resizing images, organizing visuals, and optimizing SEO content. These solutions not only ensure brand consistency but also free up time by reducing manual work.
Up and coming AI tools
New AI tools are changing how creative teams create content — making their process faster and often more personalized. But with the sheer number of tools now available, it can be tricky to know where to start and which ones are the best fit for your specific needs.
The key is to identify tools that align with your workflow and help you streamline certain aspects of your creative process. Tools that automate repetitive tasks, assist with data analysis, or offer advanced design features can significantly improve productivity. However, the real value lies in tools that support and amplify human creativity rather than replace it.
Don’t be afraid of AI taking over your team’s creativity. AI works best as a partner anyway. Experiment with different applications to find where automation elevates rather than diminishes creative touch.
Bernard Meyer, Sr. Director of Comms & Creative, Omnisend
Staying on top of the latest AI-powered tools gives your team a competitive edge. By using the right tools at the right time, you can stay ahead of trends and deliver high-quality content more efficiently.
With that in mind, here are some of the AI tools recommended by marketing teams to improve your creative process — not just limited to design:
One specific AI tool that’s really influenced our work is image recognition software, specifically Google Vision AI. It helps us categorize and tag our visuals, which has improved the way users find exactly what they’re looking for on the site. It’s a small thing but makes a huge difference in user experience.
Rhett Crites, Founder of Theme Park Brochures
The tool that’s been especially useful for me is Sprout Social’s AI-driven analytics. It’s helped us track engagement patterns and refine our messaging based on what resonates most with our audience — allowing us to fine-tune content in real-time.
Denise Murray, Head of Public Relations at Microdose Mushrooms
Our team cannot live without Perplexity. Its integration with top-tier AIs like GPT-4 and Claude Sonnet is an immense value. Its ability to access real-time data from the internet ensures that we are working with the most current information rather than relying on outdated datasets.
Ernesto Pramasetya, Co-founder at GiantFocal
I highly recommend these tools that have been really useful for us: Adobe Sensei for automating video edits and asset management and Lumen5 which helps turn text content into engaging videos quickly.
Kristina Tsapko, CMO at My Drama
I’m a big fan of Claude. It’s been super helpful for brainstorming content ideas and even drafting outlines. Also, tools like Canva’s AI features have sped up the design process. I can whip up visuals in no time, which is clutch when deadlines are tight.
Damilola, Digital Marketer, Dammy Ade
Several AI tools have been game-changers for us. We love ChatGPT for brainstorming initial ideas, drafting social posts, and even refining tone. And we use tools like Sprinklr and Brandwatch to analyze social listening data, understand the audience sentiment and optimize content based on real-time trends.
Daniel Perez, Global Content Manager at CreatorLabz
Interestingly, marketers are comfortable using AI for high-volume, quick-turnaround content like social media posts and email campaigns. Yet, its lower adoption for more complex content types like blog articles and reports suggest that AI is still seen as less suited for producing in-depth, original, and nuanced content.
We use Gemini AI for content brainstorming. It helps generate new angles, speeds up the drafting process, and offers suggestions that push the boundaries of conventional ideas. We also use AI-driven design tools that recommend layouts and visual combinations based on current engagement metrics.
Kayden Roberts, CMO at CamGo
Murf.ai is a great tool for product communications: it transforms scripts written by our product managers into clear and engaging voice overs that make the content more accessible to our consumers.
Bernard Meyer, Sr. Director of Comms & Creative, Omnisend
Jasper, Claude and ChatGPT are instrumental for our content ideation and drafting process. Midjourney is a fantastic resource for visual brainstorming and generating creative ideas. AdCreative.ai helps us experiment with different ad formats and copy combinations, allowing us to optimize visuals and messaging that perform well in A/B testing.
Khubi Ali, Content Strategist, Pixated
Tips to use AI in design to stay competitive in 2025
The use of AI in design is rapidly changing the way brands create content. As the AI landscape continues to evolve, design-focused marketing teams are finding new ways to use these technologies to produce innovative, eye-catching content faster than ever.
Here are some valuable insights from marketing teams we spoke with about how to effectively use AI to improve your design process:
Start small, automate repetitive tasks, and focus on collaboration, not replacement
Almost every marketer and designer we spoke with emphasized the importance of starting small when integrating AI into the design process. The consensus is that AI should initially be used to automate repetitive, time-consuming tasks — things like resizing images, editing videos, or organizing assets.
My advice: don’t fear AI’s influence on creativity. Its integration can save time on repetitive tasks, provide more impactful insights, and ultimately free up more time for strategic planning and creative thinking. Start with basic applications, understand their impacts, and gradually delve into complex AI toolkits as you grow comfortable with the technology.
Robert Brown, Co-founder, AI Humanize
Start by defining what you want AI to accomplish for you, then look for tools that align with those specific goals. Focus on enhancing creativity, not replacing it. And, of course, keep testing and learning along the way. AI can be an incredible ally, but only if it’s used thoughtfully to complement your team’s unique talents.
Rhett Crites, Founder of Theme Park Brochures
Here’s another interesting insight from the survey. If you work in marketing and advertising, media and entertainment, or eCommerce, you are likely to experience the biggest impact from AI-driven design tools in the near future. This means professionals in these sectors will need to upskill themselves to be proficient at using AI tools to remain competitive.
Choose tools that complement your processes
When integrating AI into your design process, it is essential to choose tools that seamlessly align with your current workflow. This ensures a smooth transition, minimizes disruption, and helps your team adopt new technology without major adjustments. Tools that fit naturally will boost productivity and enhance overall efficiency.
Start with tools that complement existing workflows and use AI as a guide rather than a replacement for human creativity. This way, you can harness its strengths while keeping the unique and human touch that connects with audiences.
Denise Murray, Head of Public Relations at Microdose Mushrooms
Stay flexible and allow room for trial and error. Each team will find different tools or features that work best for them, so give yourself time to experiment. In the end, the goal is to have AI complement your workflow and make it easier to achieve consistency and creativity in your content.
Boris Dzhingarov, CEO at ESBO LTD.
What no one says: Keep things original
While many agree on the power of AI, a point that did not come up as frequently (except for a couple of people) in our survey was the importance of maintaining originality. AI is a powerful tool, but it is essential to remember that over-dependency on it can result in homogenized content that lacks uniqueness.
For example, while AI-powered SEO tools are becoming increasingly popular among marketers for optimizing content, it’s essential to ensure that the content remains unique and authentic.
Smart teams use AI to enhance their work, not let it take over. Creativity and originality are still key to making your brand stand out.
Focus on creative prompts that add unpredictability rather than relying on AI to create finished results. A small-scale approach lets you effectively test how AI can complement your brand without significant changes to workflow – keeping it inspiring but manageable.
Brooke Webber, Head of Marketing at Ninja Patches
The key is balance: we rely on AI for analytics and repetitive tasks but prioritize human creativity for storytelling and brand voice. For teams beginning with AI, I recommend starting small—experiment with AI-driven insights or content suggestions, then progressively incorporate tools to see where they best complement human input.
Gregory Shein, CEO at Corcava
Be aware of potential biases in AI algorithms and take steps to address them. Transparency in how AI-derived insights are generated is crucial for maintaining user trust.
Richard Dalder, Business Development Manager for Tradervue
We (ironically) got lot of AI-generated responses
Interestingly, we also received a significant number of responses that, when read, seemed to echo the exact style and tone of AI-generated content. It’s a bit ironic, considering these were meant to be human insights.
This highlights an important point — AI can influence the way we express ourselves. As AI continues to evolve, it may become tricky to distinguish between human and machine-generated content (and design).
If you depend on AI for your end-to-end creative process, you risk losing the unique human voice that distinguishes your brand from hundreds of other brands in your niche.
Key takeaways on AI’s impact in design and content
In summary, our survey uncovered key insights into how AI is reshaping the design world. Here are the top five findings:
- AI enhances, not replaces: Use AI to streamline workflows while preserving the human touch that drives authentic connections.
- Creativity remains key: Let AI support your ideas, but keep originality and innovation at the forefront.
- Adaptability is crucial: Stay ahead by embracing new tools, trends, and strategies thoughtfully.
- Lead with purpose: Guide AI’s role in marketing to balance efficiency with brand authenticity.
- Unlock new possibilities: Treat AI as a partner to elevate campaigns and deliver more personalized, impactful experiences.
Our survey data shows that the majority of marketers are increasingly embracing AI to boost their content strategies. However, some remain cautious — either sticking to their current approach or scaling back their reliance.
This mixed outlook suggests that while AI’s potential is clear, its full adoption into content marketing still faces some skepticism.
AI’s impact on design is only set to grow, bringing opportunities and challenges. If you found these insights valuable, please share this blog on your social networks to keep the conversation going and help others stay informed on this rapidly evolving topic.
