Mellan hand och maskin
This thesis examines the impact of digitization, automation, and AI on visual communication—specifically how this affects process, expression and professionalism.
The starting point is an inquiry into whether the focus on efficiency has been intensified by the rise of AI and whether this contributes to a growing homogenization within graphic design. Human craftsmanship and exploration are increasingly marginalized, leaving less room for experimental processes.
The project was approached in two parallel ways: by interviewing 14 professional graphic designers and by simultaneously conducting an experimental, exploratory design process—based on great freedom, a high degree of chance, and many analog elements. The goal was to investigate how this affects visual expression and whether it works as a complement or counterpart to AI and efficiency-driven design. The experimental design process and the compiled questions and answers were then thoughtfully curated into a modular publication targeted towards the graphic design industry.
The goal is to spark a debate surrounding the topic—to share thoughts on how to navigate the present, to discuss hopes for the future of graphic design, and to instill confidence in examining big and serious questions in an experimental way.