First Draw: AI image creation

Working primarily as a writer, AI image generation was of less interest to me at first. However, when you come to grapple with the issues of copyright, the cost of stock photo libraries and the time it takes to select imagery that meets your needs, there’s a lot to be said for it as a tool - especially when its embedded in an image tool you already use.

My first encounter with the power of this extraordinary tool was when I used Open AI’s own image generator. I wasn’t overwhelmed by all the results, except that I was staggered by the overall concept. In one short sentence I had the power to create an image way beyond the quality of my own abilities.

Recently I attended a event put on by my local Chamber of Commerce which provided a really useful overview of how some of these tools can be used.

The image you see here was created in a few seconds by the test-to-image app embedded within Canva. Another tool was also explored, Midjourney, but the former was of more interest as I already had a subscription and I could use it in conjunction with the social optimisation tools Canva is so good at.

It’s mind-blowing the way that a simple prompt can generate four pretty on-point images to chose from in mere seconds - under a minute typically - with easy-to-use tools to set themes and styles and then optimise for whatever digital or hardcopy outcome you desire.

The potential this offers busy social media managers who are under pressure to create compelling social media content on demand is exciting. As always with AI though, it gives with one hand and takes away with another. While social media managers will celebrate it’s productivity-enhancing powers, designers will fear the threat it presents to their relevance to clients. As for all of us, the trick is to absorb the tool and find a way to own it rather than be owned by it.