From time to time, the same question comes back to haunt the creative market: will artificial intelligence replace designers? The answer is simple: no. But that doesn’t mean that design will remain the same.

AI has already transformed the way we create images, videos, and prototypes. It speeds up processes, expands possibilities, and redefines work stages. But in the end, it is still the human eye that gives meaning, consistency, and impact to each delivery.

In this article, we will explore this relationship in depth, from the myth of replacement to the mathematics behind costs, passing through the indispensable role of post-production and reaching the new market opportunities that arise when creativity and AI work together.

The myth of replacement

Artificial intelligence is already an active part of creative processes. Platforms like Midjourney, Visual Electric, and Veo3 allow generating images and videos in minutes, something that previously took days of work between brainstorming, capturing, and editing.

However, speed does not mean depth. Often, the most accurate choice continues to be the most traditional: picking up the camera and taking a photo.

A good example comes from the fashion market. Brands like Balenciaga and Gucci have already experimented with AI campaigns but continue to invest in large photographic productions. Why? Because AI does not replace the symbolic and emotional value of real production. Continuing to invest in photographic campaigns is a way to maintain their cultural and visual presence with depth.

“AI does not replace intuition. It amplifies it. Machines offer speed, memory, and pattern recognition. Humans bring emotion, contradiction, and that strange spark we call creativity. Together, they form a symbiotic relationship.”

 — Braz De Pina, Microsoft designer

In other words: AI amplifies and scales creativity, but it does not generate it on its own. The decision to pick up the camera, use a real set, or turn to AI remains an act of creative direction, made by those who understand the narrative and aesthetics of the project.

And as Fast Company has already highlighted, AI will not replace you, but someone who knows how to use it can. According to the article, by 2030 the technology is expected to displace 92 million jobs, but create 170 million new ones. In other words, the risk is not the machine itself, but staying still while others learn to orchestrate flows between human creativity and AI efficiency.

The value of the creative professional

A powerful design is not born solely from polished aesthetics. It is born from the mix of intuition, emotion, and cultural context. This is exactly the point that Braz De Pina reinforces when comparing AI with cameras: it is not the technology that makes the photo, but the eye of the one who uses it.

That’s why creative professionals remain indispensable. They know when to use a contradictory detail, an imperfection, or an aesthetic rupture to generate impact. And this goes beyond machine logic.

An emblematic example is the Nike campaign honoring Serena Williams, developed with the agency AKQA. In the year of her retirement, the brand decided to recreate a face-off between two versions of Serena: the one from 1999, when she won her first Grand Slam, and the one from 2017, already established as a legend.

Using machine learning and the vid2player technique from Stanford University, it was possible to simulate how each version of the athlete would react: play choices, recovery time, agility, and strategy.

The result was an epic showdown between two “Serenas,” recreated from historical data, streamed live on YouTube for millions of people.

More than a data experience, it was an unprecedented visual narrative, capable of showing the world not only Serena’s talent but her constant evolution.

The impact did not come from the technology alone but from the creative vision that decided to use it as a way to tell a story.

The project earned Nike and AKQA several international awards, including Grand Prix in Digital Craft and gold in Artificial Intelligence, Branded Content, and Athlete Storytelling.

This case is proof that AI does not replace the creator: it becomes part of their toolkit to tell stories more powerfully.

The mathematics behind AI

Almost all leading creative platforms, such as Midjourney, Runway, Magnific, Krea, Veo3, and Visual Electric, are charged in dollars. For creatives in Brazil, this detail makes all the difference.

It is not uncommon to see professionals getting excited and signing up for multiple tools at the same time, but the accumulation of monthly fees can quickly erode profit margins. What seemed like a productivity gain can turn into losses if there is no planning.

Here, the advice of Braz De Pina serves as a warning: an AI tool is only truly “designer-friendly” when it disappears into the creative flow. In other words, it should accelerate, simplify, and not hinder.

If the platform is expensive, complex, and still requires constant rework, it may not be worth the investment. Therefore, each creative needs to do the math:

• Which part of the process truly benefits from AI?

• Is the client willing to pay for the sophistication that the tool adds?

A good parallel is to think about buying photography equipment. Not every campaign requires a top-of-the-line cinema camera. Sometimes what solves the issue is a smaller, well-lit set directed with intelligence. The same applies to AI: it’s not about having all the subscriptions, but choosing those that truly enhance your work.

👉 Also read: The favorite tools of Human to create images, videos, and upscale with AI

In the end, the true differentiator is not in how many tools you pay for, but in how you can transform that investment into creative results and financial returns.

Why post-production remains indispensable

Even when AI delivers impressive results right off the bat, it is the post-production that transforms an image or video into something truly professional.

This is the moment when the human eye determines if the work is ready to go out. After all, no tool can replace crucial steps such as:

• Color correction and lighting to align with the brand's identity.

• Proportion and anatomy adjustments, since AI still fails in details.

• Fine texture treatment, especially on skin, fabrics, and products.

• Adaptation for multiple formats, from vertical feed to outdoor panels.

• Integration of visual identity (typography, graphics, logos, motion).

A practical example comes from our own studio: in the video below, we test the Nano-Banana, a new AI tool that emerged enigmatically. The highlight is precisely in the post-production stage, essential to ensure quality and consistency in the final result.

In the advertising market, the reasoning is the same. AI-generated campaigns rarely go directly to media. They go through art directors and finishing teams, who apply the aesthetic finish and visual coherence. That is what ensures that the piece meets the quality standards that a global brand requires.

This process resembles what happens in cinema: even with top-of-the-line cameras, no film is released without color grading, editing, and sound mixing. AI may accelerate the foundation, but the finish remains human territory.

Therefore, post-production is not just a final step; it is the point where the work gains consistency, emotion, and creative signature. Without it, the delivery can sound generic, superficial, or even compromise the brand's reputation.

👉 Also read: How to extract logos from images with AI in FLORA

Conclusion

So, after all: will AI replace designers? Definitely not.

What it is doing is redefining the role of the creative: from executor to strategist, from tool operator to director of hybrid processes between human and machine.

As Braz De Pina from Microsoft argues, AI does not replace intuition; it amplifies it. And cases like Nike with Serena Williams show how technology and storytelling can merge to create experiences that once seemed impossible.

The future of design is hybrid: camera when it makes sense, AI when it speeds things up, post-production always.

Those who can balance these elements will not only remain relevant but will lead the creative transformation that is already happening.