What No One Tells You About AI and Design

If you're thinking about working with a designer and wondering where AI fits in, this post is for you.

AI is everywhere right now, and the conversations around it in creative industries range from enthusiastic to outright hostile. I want to give you an honest answer. One that I hope is useful whether you're self-publishing a book, wanting a logo, looking to build or develop a website, or figuring out your business for the first time.contact me

Let's start with the real issue: budget

When I see AI-generated covers appearing in author forums, the question being asked is usually "what do you think?" But the context provided is almost always the same: "I couldn't afford a designer."

That's a design perception problem, and it’s a budget problem and it's one worth taking seriously before you get deep into any book project.

Setting a budget and exploring how to fund good design aren't afterthoughts. It's a fundamental business decision. Whenever I work with a client, one of the first things we talk about is money, not just what they'll invest in working with me, but the full picture of what producing their work actually costs. One of my suggestions is to start from the end and work backwards as that’s where you’ll find the expenditure. Editors, proofreaders, designers, platforms, and hosting. It all adds up, and it all needs a plan.

If budget is a barrier for you right now, that's okay but the answer isn't to skip professional design entirely. It's about finding a smarter way to afford one.

What I actually use AI for

I do use AI in my business. I use Claude as a sounding board to test out workflows, track down bits of code I can't figure out, and research options for clients. I’m actually studying a CPD course in AI so I can use it mindfully and reduce my footprint. You won’t find me creating cartoons of myself.

For example, a client needed the best newsletter platform. I asked Claude to look into the options and discovered that Mailerlite offers a 25% discount for a CIC (community interest company) which would have taken longer had I done that myself. That's genuinely useful information that saved actual money.

These are research and planning tasks and that's where AI may earn a place.

What I never use AI for

Creating.

All of my design work is original and developed with pen and paper, and brought to life through Adobe Illustrator (the original AI, as I like to say). Other software that I use includes Squarespace, Shopify, and WordPress for websites. Canva and Adobe Express to deliver social media assests to clients accounts, and Adobe InDesign - generally Adobe Creative Cloud as a whole to create.

This matters for several reasons:

• Copyright and originality are real concerns. AI-generated work exists in genuinely murky legal territory. For authors and creative businesses especially, originality isn't just a nice-to-have — it's the foundation of your work and your brand.

• Your audience is the one who has to connect with it. It doesn't matter what you or I think of an AI-generated cover. What matters is whether your reader picks it up. Design that's crafted for a specific audience, with knowledge of the market and an understanding of your work, does that job far better.

• It reflects the value of what you're making. If you've spent months or years writing a book or building a business, the design around it should honour that investment — not undercut it.

Takeway

Here's how I'd summarise it for anyone considering working with me:

• AI as a tool for research, planning, and problem-solving? Yes, absolutely, when it’s used thoughtfully, it's useful.

• AI as a substitute for original creative work? No. Not for my clients, and I'd gently encourage you to think carefully before going down that road yourself.

Good design is a business decision as much as a creative one. When we work together, you're getting original work rooted in an understanding of your audience, your market, and your goals and a collaborator who'll help you think through the practical side of your project too.

Ready to take the next step?

Whether you're at the early stages of planning or ready to get started, here are a few ways I can help:

Work with me directly — I'm taking bookings from July onwards. If you'd like to talk through your project and get a steer on your design needs, contact me to start the conversation.

Start with Self-Publishing Foundations if you're working on a book and want to understand the full picture before you invest, this is the place to begin. We cover budgeting, workflows, funding your project, and how to work effectively with the suppliers who'll help bring your book to life.

Explore the free resources, there's plenty to get started with, from guides to practical advice, all there when you need it.

Good design doesn't have to feel out of reach. Let's find the right path for your project.