Why Some People Use AI To Replace Brand Agencies (And Why That’s Okay)

Controversial blog title for the owner of a brand agency, right? Here’s why I’m not worried about my job…

If you’re thinking ‘why do I need a brand agency when I can use artificial intelligence (AI) to do most of it for me?’ Well, you’re probably right. You might not need one. If you’re using AI for all of you branding, you’re likely to have the kind of projects and budget that don’t warrant hiring a branding agency or a creative team. You may not see the value that comes with working with a human-lead creative team.

That’s totally fine.

If that’s where you’re at then branding agencies are not for you. You can use the any of the countless tools out there to create your website, logo and brand assets.

Now, I’m not here to bash AI or the tools available for people to DIY their branding. We use AI in our design studio. We use AI to help edit copy. We use generative fill to expand image backgrounds. We use AI-generated images as reference points for concepts. If we do use AI-generated content in our final work, we’re transparent about it—because honesty and ethical use of AI in this evolving landscape is crucial.

How AI is used in Creative Work

If you’re sitting there thinking that AI is going to replace all the creative types in the world, I have to say that’s a pretty grim way of valuing the creative industry.  Just like all of the software and hardware that help us in our industry, AI is a tool, not a replacement for human creativity or critical thinking.

Using AI to generate a reference image doesn’t mean I’ll never hire a photographer again.

Using AI to edit some content I’ve written doesn’t mean that our copy writers are out of a job.

I see no issue in responsibly using AI to assist in the creative process. I don’t believe it will ever eliminate the need for the human touch. Maybe I’ll eat words one day, but I’d like to think that humans will still have the ability to think and act creatively while we still have control over our mind.

Ok back to brand…

AI is very good at spitting out what you ask it for. If you ask for a pink dinosaur in a tutu in inspired by Andy Warhol, it will give you endless iterations of what it thinks you want until you choose one. The quality of your prompt, which by the way comes from human critical thinking, will determine the quality of the result. You can then slap that dino onto your product and start selling. Bingo Bango, here’s your brand.

I believe brand is about more than just slapping an image onto a product. It’s about being authentic (read a blog I wrote on that here). It’s your story, it’s how you make strategic decisions and it’s about how you connect. It’s a human understanding or feeling of who you are and THAT level of creativity and problem solving is something that can’t be replicated by a machine.

Why I’m not worried about my job

Change is inevitable and if you don’t embrace it, you fall behind and there is a whole lot of change happening in the industry.  One thing’s for sure – AI is here to stay and it’s helping us work smarter, not harder.

If you’re thinking that AI is going to replace an entire industry (and my job) then you’re probably not someone who values design, creativity or the human process.  And that’s okay because AI has given you other options. There’s room for everyone in this space.

At the end of the day, it comes down to what you value. If you don’t see the need for designers, that’s fine—AI can offer you a more cost-effective and quick solution. But if you appreciate the nuances of design, storytelling, and strategy, then you’ll understand why AI isn’t replacing the creative industry.

We’re not for everyone, and that’s perfectly okay.