Creatives are more optimistic about AI, Monotype research shows

Despite its rapid advancement over the past few years, AI technology is still a highly divisive topic in the creative sector. While there are tools to help refine and streamline creative practices, concerns around copyright and artistic authenticity often outshine the practical uses of AI in the industry, leading to an understandable sense of mistrust.

Despite this, it seems creatives are slowly becoming more AI agnostic after a recent study from type and technology company Monotype revealed that designers are feeling increasingly optimistic about AI tools. From photo editing software to productivity tools, AI is slowly creeping into creative practice and perhaps Monotype's study is a promising reflection that resistance is easing.

Monotype commissioned the study from independent market research company Censuswide which surveyed 4,777 graphic designers, type designers, and brand leaders across the world. In a shocking revelation, it was revealed that "91% of designers and creatives surveyed believe that AI and AI tools can be useful for their work in the type industry." Results also showed that designers were more likely to be optimistic (34%) or neutral (23%) about AI being used in their roles, with 21% still feeling pessimistic towards the advancing technology.

What's important to note is how creatives are using AI, and what tools they prioritise in their practice. The most valuable use was "being able to visualize typography in real-world scenarios", which 45% of creatives agreed with alongside "suggesting font pairings". Speeding up typical design workflows and discovering new fonts both resulted in 43% agreement among creatives revealing that some creatives are open to embracing AI to streamline their workflow.

“At Monotype, we are leveraging AI to give creatives and designers great new user experiences and remove some of the more laborious, repetitive tasks so they can focus on accomplishing their goals," says Mary Catherine Pflug, senior director of partner experience & inventory lifecycle at Monotype.

"Our research reveals that, to the contrary, most creatives and designers are positive about the potential of AI and AI-enabled tools for their work when they understand its power to democratize design through enhancing, amplifying, and accelerating human creativity, " adds Monotype's CEO Ninan Chacko. "By leveraging the power of AI judiciously, we are making great typography more accessible and helping design professionals around the world elevate brands with career-defining work,” he adds.

It's interesting to see a shift towards more AI acceptance in the creative industries after a year of such intense AI contention. With Adobe's AI backlash back in June and tons of creatives flocking to Cara amidst Instagram's controversial AI scraping drama, it seemed that the creative community was staunchly against AI. As the technology develops and regulations increase, it seems we could see a future where AI and human creativity can coincide.

Want to find out more? Download the full report here.