Why I Let the Robots Play Art Director (Sometimes)

Have you noticed a few extra fingers in the images around here? Or graphics with words that aren’t quite words?

Yeah. That’s the robots.

Typical CD move — I give vague directions and post whatever it is the robots heard. Could I design every header image myself? Of course. But between managing creative strategy, the occasional existential design debate, and a family who does want to see me pretty regularly, sometimes I just don’t have the time (or mental energy) to fire up Illustrator for a concept image.

So I decided to have a little fun. When I write a new post, I feed the title (and a vague idea) into an AI image generator — no extra direction, no mood board, no color palette. What comes back is part chaos, part curiosity, and sometimes, it actually surprises me — which is kind of the point.

For me, experimenting with AI isn’t about replacing design. It’s about leaning into the tools that are reshaping our creative landscape — the same way designers once embraced digital layout after decades of X-Acto knives and typeset trays. I imagine those early typesetters felt uneasy watching personal computers take over their craft — until they realized technology wasn’t erasing creativity, just changing how it happened.

AI feels like that moment again. The tools are new, imperfect, and occasionally absurd. But they also open doors: faster visualization, concept testing, playful iteration. I’m not worried about robots taking creative jobs — because creativity isn’t a function, it’s a point of view. Tools evolve. The spark behind them doesn’t.

And maybe that’s what keeps this fun: a reminder that good creative direction isn’t just about control — it’s about exploration.

So if you see an image here that feels a little… interpretive? Assume it’s one of my AI experiments. I could’ve designed it myself — but sometimes it’s more fun to see what happens when I hand the brief to the algorithm.

After all, even creative directors need a sandbox. Mine just happens to be slightly sentient.