Artificial intelligence (AI) is disrupting many professional sectors, and graphic design is no exception to this technological revolution. Tim Meylan, a graphic design teacher at the Valais School of Design and Art (EDHEA) in Sierre, recently shared his thoughts on the impact of AI in this creative field. His analysis offers a nuanced insight into the challenges and opportunities facing graphic design professionals.
‘Graphic design is currently undergoing a transition with regard to AI. We don’t know how far our profession will evolve,’ explains Tim Meylan. This transformation is part of a broader movement towards the democratisation of creative tools. ‘AI in design is linked to the democratisation of tools, as in other professions. A few years ago, it was already possible for non-experts to work with programmes such as Core or Illustrator.’
Despite this increasing accessibility, Tim Meylan remains confident about the added value of professionals. ‘Today, a professional can easily tell the difference between an AI creation and one made by a graphic designer.’ This distinction is based on the expertise, critical thinking and aesthetic sensibility of a trained professional.
A powerful assistant rather than a competitor
Far from seeing AI as a threat to the profession, Tim Meylan sees it more as a complementary tool that can increase designers’ efficiency and creativity. ‘These technologies allow us to work much faster, for example when cutting out an image. It’s like having an extra employee. We can take our visuals much further.’
This vision of AI as a collaborator also extends to the strategic aspects of the profession. Tim Meylan points out that AI can, for example, help to evaluate and synthesise large files and brand descriptions. It is therefore a formidable tool for pushing the boundaries, provided it is used wisely.
For Tim Meylan, the difference between an amateur and a professional lies in how these new technologies are used. ‘You have to stay active and not be like the layman who is satisfied with the first result generated by AI,’ he says, emphasising the importance of a critical approach and an iterative process when using the tools.
Is it time to rethink the role of graphic designers?
At the end of his presentation, the teacher reiterated that AI is neither a threat nor a miracle solution for graphic designers, but rather a paradigm shift. ‘It transforms tools and methods, inviting us to rethink the role of graphic designers: creators? curators? translators of ideas into visual forms?’
This transformation of the profession highlights what remains uniquely human in the creative process. ‘More than ever, the graphic designer’s eye, culture and sense of choice will make the difference,’ concludes Tim Meylan.
Comments gathered on 13 May 2025 in Monthey during the PRISM Conference
