Why we keep believing in what we do, despite AI

All you have to do is open your feed and there it is again: a post about AI. About how the creative profession is vibrating on its feet, and whether we will all soon be replaced by a robot with a good sense of typography. Understandable, that slight panic. At Flabbergasted, we also felt it gnawing: the “what if...?”.

But to be honest: we see things differently now. Not as a threat, but as a turbo. AI doesn't make our work obsolete; it actually makes it more fun, smarter and sometimes just faster. And no, our creativity cannot be ignored. We still firmly believe in that. But how do we then apply AI in our field?

1. The first AI tool we were going to play with at Flabbergasted? “Generative Fill” in Photoshop. We were immediately hooked! Was there just an ugly trash can in the background? Get rid of it. Did someone wear a bracelet that doesn't match the image at all? Poof, gone. Did the image need to be framed just a little bit wider? Click, done. Magical, isn't it? But don't be fooled: that magic doesn't happen by itself. It is still our creative eye that decides what needs to change. And how much you brush away without it looking weird. Generative Fill is like a highly trained assistant, convenient, fast, and always available. But the real creatives? That's what we're going to stay.

2. Speaking of assistants... ChatGPT does deserve a promotion with us 😛 You can ask him anything and he'll answer right away. Without sighing. Without a coffee break. But even though it sometimes seems like there's a brilliant brain behind it, ChatGPT isn't a thinking creature. What he does? He gives smart, logical answers based on everything he was trained to do. So yes, it's AI. But no, it is not a robot that will take your job soon. More like a super-handy text assistant that's always on and never grumbles. At Flabbergasted, we use it almost every day. Just double-check something, get a quick explanation without watching half an hour of YouTube tutorials, great! This way, we have more time for the real creative work. And that is still human work. Luckily.

3. Another AI tool that we use is Relume. For us, Relume is a bit like LEGO for designers: you quickly click together a wireframe and before you know it, there's a whole setup. So super handy, especially in the early stages. But the real creative work only starts after that first click. We still determine the flow, the hierarchy, the wow factor. Relume helps us start faster, but we make sure the end result feels like Flabbergasted: surprising, unique and always with character.

4. In addition to wireframes, we also like to make stylescapes, mood boards full of images, atmosphere and style that suit the customer perfectly. But yes, sometimes the perfect image has just the wrong background. Fortunately, Figma now has a magic button: “remove background”. One click and away with it, your subject suddenly looks sleek, with no visual noise. But make no mistake: we still find the right images, figure out why something works (or doesn't) and make sure everything comes together in a strong story. Technology helps, but the creative eye remains our secret weapon.

So you see: AI may give our creative toolbox a significant upgrade, but it is and remains just a tool. The real magic happens behind the scenes, with us, with a keen eye, a good dose of humor and the drive to create something unique over and over again. At Flabbergasted, we make use of AI with a wink, without ever losing our creative soul. So let the robots talk, we remain the storymakers.