The AI impact on graphic design trends: What creators need to know

Do you have experience of using generative AI in graphic design? Are you embracing these new tech tools, or turning a blind eye? Whatever your attitude, perhaps it’s time for a rethink about the role AI can play in creative work. Many creative agencies and brands are embracing artificial intelligence in graphic design to create innovative and beautiful commercial projects for branding, advertising and marketing, and shaping AI design trends in the process. 

Here we offer a complete guide on the AI impact on graphic design for creators, looking at how you can use AI as part of your workflow, seek out some inspirational AI graphic design examples, and consider the future of AI in creative design. If you’re ready to see how AI can open up new creative avenues, while discovering some cool new design trends, read up and dive in!

The big question for creatives right now is whether generative AI is likely to overtake human creativity in the graphic design industry. This is an important topic to consider, but it also comes at AI from a narrow angle. Much of the bad press surrounding AI in design surrounds either poorly produced AI imagery (think too many fingers, urgh) or the fact that viewers don’t like the feeling of being ‘duped’.

A Getty Images report found that 90% of consumers surveyed across 25 countries wanted to know whether an image had been created using AI. The research also found that respondents were more likely to feel they have been “fooled or lied to” if the AI image depicts a human subject, with non-human subjects perceived as “less misleading”. The conclusion? Designers need to be careful about how they use AI imagery in campaigns, with authenticity being a key driver of consumer confidence. 

AI images have a place, but some of the best uses of AI in graphic design work actually play up advanced generative AI’s ability to create fantastical imagery that would be near-impossible to achieve through real-life photography or even Photoshop manipulation. Many of the best marketing agencies and graphic designers producing highly creative commercial work actively lean in to the capabilities that AI in graphic design can offer. Whether it’s transforming a static idea into an animated AI video for social media content, or creating hyper-surrealist imagery for an ad campaign, there are amazing things that can be achieved with generative AI — all it requires is your imagination (and some helpful AI art prompts).

Perhaps the debate about whether AI will take over graphic design is missing the point. AI is a tool to enable creative ideas in a time-pressured commercial environment. As brand strategist Adriana Bubori notes:

If graphic designers need to create a volume of imagery for online use, then why not use AI to lend a helping hand? Your creativity is still the seed of the idea, AI is just a way to help you give it lift-off.

AI design trends fuse automated fantasy with human creativity, and the latest 2025 AI trends demonstrate how AI is now able to kickstart aesthetics that are adopted widely across branding and graphic design. Here are some of the latest AI design trends to know now, plus scroll down for AI design examples of how some of the world’s leading brands are using these AI trends in their creative output. 

Surrealism has always been the natural direction of AI imagery, but creative designers can push this to really jaw-dropping extremes, with fantastical dreamscapes and second-guess illusions. Imagery and videos that merge surrealism with a calm serenity are also making the rounds on social media, adding to the dreamlike appeal of these types of images. This is the perfect AI design trend for graphic designers to explore further with confidence, given that it’s clear to the viewer that the images aren’t real, avoiding the risk of feeling fooled.

Creative AI artists like Sybille de Saint Louvent have made a name for themselves by refining surrealist imagery for dreamy fashion editorial imagery or brand campaigns that encapsulate brand essence in a completely unexpected way.

If suspected inauthenticity is turning off potential viewers (and consumers) then graphic designers will really need to step up their game when creating realist AI imagery, particularly of human subjects. Even the smallest detail, such as overly-glossy skin, can derail the designer’s carefully created AI images, eroding viewer trust in the process. 

To counteract, we’re starting to see a lot more grit and grime in AI-generated imagery, some of which is created using AI prompts or brought in during post-editing. You can ‘de-gloss’ AI portraits with real skin filters that bring back authentic texture into human images, freckles, wrinkles and all. Gritty textures and vintage film effects can also be added to AI-generated designs to boost realistic results.   

Think of the raw and unfiltered aesthetic of 90s movies and TV. People looked real, shot in natural (sometimes unflattering) lighting, flaws and all. Embracing this type of AI design trend will really set your images apart from others, lending it realism and that much-desired authenticity. 

There’s a vigilante aspect to AI in graphic design. Hear me out. With AI there are no accepted rules, and with many AI generators free to use, it has the potential to be a highly experimental, open-access creative tool. It’s far more difficult now for brands to have complete control over their own design assets, when anyone can integrate their logo or other branding into AI designs. 

So, we’re starting to see two sides to the coin — on the one hand, creatives who use existing commercial brands as a starting point for creating AI content without brand approval, and on the other, savvy brands who are actively commissioning designers to use their branding as part of experimental AI campaigns. Both of these creative strands have some interesting results, with AI artists becoming more widely known through social media and widely used by brands to reach audiences who may not be as responsive to official brand content. 

With AI it’s possible to stretch beyond the capacity of real-life photography, which is why it makes sense that the last AI design trend on our list imagines eras and scenarios beyond the reach of our present time. 

Vintage-inspired AI imagery that reimagines the past lends a nostalgic touch to website designs and branding projects, while futuristic AI images cast their eye much further ahead, proposing fantastical future settings or  fusing futuristic elements with other aesthetics, creating a Mad Max-inspired post-apocalyptic vision or a more rose-tinted Y3K pastel-colored future. 

Creative graphic designers can explore how AI can reshape both past and future into creative and innovative designs, bringing something always unexpected into the mix. Or why not try merging vintage elements with futuristic aesthetics for steampunk designs or AI-imagined cityscapes.  

Use this prompt to recreate images like the cyberbot hand illustration above:

Big brands and independent brands alike are becoming more enamoured with the creative capacity of AI, to help with creating unique content for advertising, social media, branding and website design. 

These examples of AI in graphic design projects across a variety of brand campaigns demonstrate AI’s versatility, as well as its flexibility to be combined with human-directed creativity. Craftcore apartment blocks? Classic novels as fantasy oil paintings? Custom sneaker designs for metaverse characters? Why not?

This creative campaign was conceived by agency TBWA for the Melbourne Writer’s Festival a few years ago, but it remains a really outstanding example of generative AI in graphic design. As TBWA described how they came up with the idea:

Passages from well-loved novels like H. G. Wells’ War of the Worlds and Herman Melville’s Moby Dick were used as AI prompts, with the atmospheric and artistic images generated showcasing the creative power of words. The imagery was integrated into promotional graphic designs for the festival, including posters, social media posts and web banners.

Product photographer Margarita van Werven shows how real imagery can be combined with AI touches in post-editing to create a really refined and special result. Her still life photos for cosmetics brands like Oribe, Guerlain and Ouai are a fantastic source of image inspiration for graphic designers wondering how to best bring the two worlds of photography and AI together as part of a project. 

Subtle details like light, background and texture can be added into a photograph using AI, elevating the result and making imagery more versatile. If a client wants to switch up the color or mood, with AI it’s no big deal!

Tapping into the AI design trend for customization, Reebok entered into the creative AI market with an Instagram account, @ReebokImpact, which invited users to submit their images to an AI Chatbot, who would turn them into patterns on custom digital sneakers. The sneaker designs were able to be tweaked by customers, with the option to buy the digital sneakers for $8 to wear in multiple games (including Fortnite and Roblox) as well as receipt of the 3D files, which work with Unreal Engine software and can be digitally tailored to correspond with the individual’s own image or on digital avatars.

Metaverse styling? AI opens up a wide range of creative options for brands looking to reach game-loving audiences, and both graphic designers and game designers can tap into this customer-centric trend to help drive brand engagement. 

Craftcore is a huge design trend for 2025, and in this example the cosy, crafty aesthetic combines with the fact that more commercial brands are turning to independent AI designers to explore creative ways of integrating AI into brand content. 

This example, for the smartphone retailer Xiaomi, sees AI artist and digital creator Joann apply her distinctive off-beat aesthetic to a tactile, surreal set of campaign imagery that was overseen by marketing agency Billion Dollar Boy. Buildings adorned with touchable, cutesy pom-poms and pastel chiffon draping are a really fun way of making holiday season imagery feel more eccentric, fun, and seriously tactile!

As we’ve already seen, generative AI in graphic design is all about attitude — how you use it to elevate your own creative ideas, and how to generate and edit AI imagery that sets your AI projects apart from the crowd. In a sea of so-so AI design, it’s the strength of your ideas and small details that will really give you the edge. Let’s look at a few ways you can apply these AI design trends to your own projects.

Channel a gritty, realistic aesthetic, even in AI-generated content, by paying attention to the small details that can point the eye to an image looking real…or fake. We’re talking skin flaws, natural lighting and raw, unfiltered aesthetics that make AI human portraits look more convincing and authentic. 

Use this prompt to recreate images like the realistic couple portrait above:

Take the opposite approach with AI designs that go as far as your imagination will take you. Hyper-surreal imagery and videos definitely don’t look real, but that’s the whole point! Surrealism is a great way to bring playfulness and a dreamlike quality to designs for websites and social media, and can be really effective for the right brands and campaigns.

Use this prompt to recreate images like the retro-surreal portrait above:

Most AI images or videos you see won’t have taken very much time to produce. A quick prompt, a couple of minutes and ta-dah! Really good creative imagery takes time, even if AI is involved. AI artists aren’t lazy — they use AI to help them achieve the effect they have in mind, but this can involve hours of careful tweaking and refinement.   

Focus on refining your AI prompts for better results (or use an image generator like ImageGen, which uses AI to help enhance your written prompts) and for a really pro touch post-edit your images to bring in very specific details missing in the generated output.

Use this prompt to recreate images like the macro cat portrait above:

Not likely — but it will take over the boring bits. The real impact of AI in graphic design is about collaboration, not domination. AI can streamline repetitive tasks, spark ideas, and help you scale creative output fast. But your imagination, taste, and ability to interpret a brand’s vibe? That’s all you. Think of AI as your over-eager intern: helpful, sometimes weird, but ultimately here to make your vision shine.

From serene surrealism to gritty realism, AI design trends in 2025 are all about extremes. Designers are embracing nostalgic aesthetics, hyper-futurism, and even raw, flawed realism to make their AI creations feel more authentic. These trends show how design and artificial intelligence can fuse to create styles that feel both human and fantastical.

Use AI to amplify, not replace, your creative instincts. Generative AI in graphic design shines brightest when it’s paired with a strong concept. Whether you’re crafting surreal dreamscapes or gritty photo-realism, it’s all in the prompts — and the post-editing. Get precise. Be intentional. And don’t forget: refinement is what separates AI doodles from design gold.

That depends on how you use it. The key to authentic artificial intelligence in graphic design lies in transparency and intent. If you’re upfront about AI’s role and use it to serve your creative purpose — not trick people — then yes, it absolutely counts. Audiences can spot a fake (and they don’t love it). But if the design resonates? You’ve done your job.

The future is flexible. AI isn’t replacing graphic designers — it’s reshaping their workflows. Expect more hybrid roles, AI-driven personalization, and on-the-fly design iterations. Designers who embrace AI in graphic design will have more tools to play with, more room to explore, and more time to focus on what they do best: creating bold, original work that stands out.

The latest AI design trends show us that AI is not only here to stay, it’s helping graphic designers to push their creativity to different levels and places. Experimentation and discovery is all part of the fun!

Ready to start creating and refining your own AI image prompts? Whether you’re exploring AI concept art prompt styles or experimenting with the latest digital art styles for prompts, Envato’s ImageGen and GraphicsGen offer an ideal playground for creators. Dive in, start experimenting, and see how far AI can take your creative process.

Looking for more AI art inspiration? Discover 5 ways to use Envato’s AI tools in your creative work, from automatic voiceovers to video creation.

Ready to start using AI elements in your marketing projects? Craft emotive AI videos for YouTube with VideoGen, beautiful soundtracks for creative content with MusicGen, and use creative AI prompts to get the best from your campaign imagery with ImageGen.