Design graduates compete with AI for entry-level creative jobs

Recent design graduates are finding themselves in direct competition with artificial intelligence for entry-level creative positions, as major companies increasingly turn to AI tools for marketing campaigns and visual content creation. This shift is forcing new designers to question the value of their education while scrambling to acquire additional skills to differentiate themselves in a rapidly changing job market.

What you should know: The World Economic Forum identifies graphic design as one of the fastest declining job categories by 2030 due to AI adoption.

• Major brands like Heinz, Coca-Cola, and Mango have already deployed AI-generated content in marketing campaigns, with Coca-Cola creating a fully AI-generated Christmas advertisement featuring their iconic truck.
• Fashion brand Mango faced criticism for using AI teen models in their “Sunset Dream” campaign, with critics arguing it constituted false advertising and job displacement.

The graduate experience: Design students are graduating into a job market where traditional entry-level positions are becoming scarce.

• Darby Hutchby, a Birmingham City University graduate, spent over a year finding permanent creative work after graduating in 2020, leading her to question her degree investment.
• “I did think, ‘Oh God, what have I done? I’ve just spent all this money and time on a degree, but am I even going to get a chance to use it?'” Hutchby said.
• Ashleigh Sadler, a Sheffield Hallam graduate, considered retraining as a paramedic due to the difficult job hunt, noting that “AI is damaging for small businesses, and it is taking opportunities away from designers.”

Industry impact beyond design: AI job displacement extends across multiple sectors, with mixed results for companies implementing the technology.

• Klarna, a buy now, pay later company, introduced an AI assistant for customer service and planned to eliminate nearly half its workforce, but later had to rehire staff after the AI cuts led to “lower quality customer service,” according to The Independent.
• Client expectations have shifted dramatically, with AI’s speed capabilities pressuring human designers to deliver faster results while maintaining their more personal approach.

Adaptation strategies: Graduates are developing new skill sets to remain competitive against AI capabilities.

• Hutchby has decided to upskill in animation to “bring as many strings to the bow as possible” and offer a broader range of services to clients.
• Grace Warren, a University of Brighton graduate, sees AI as both an opportunity for expertise development and a source of pressure to become a “robot” learning endless skills.

What experts think: Industry leaders believe the “AI will kill design” narrative is overblown, emphasizing human creativity’s continued importance.

• “Graphic design has always developed in step with technological change – from letterpress to phototypesetting to desktop publishing and now Gen AI,” said Dr Rebecca Ross from the University of the Arts London.
• “In this sense, the practiced human hand and human eye remain as important as ever,” Ross added, noting that some employers specifically seek candidates with “distinct voices” to stand out against AI’s “churn.”

What employers want: Creative agencies are adjusting their hiring criteria to navigate the AI landscape.

• Jake Jeffries, founder of Wiltshire-based Milk&Tweed, values proactive attitudes and real-world experience, saying he likes to hear candidates say, “This is a project I did for free for my mum’s business.”
• While some companies want graduates to help them implement AI tools, others prioritize hiring people who can offer uniquely human perspectives and creativity.