Artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules of communication and graphic design.
Processes that once demanded advanced technical and creative expertise are now accessible in just a few clicks. Logo creation is a prime example: what used to require hand-drawing and professional design software can now be generated instantly using automated tools. The trajectory is clear. In a matter of months, tasks like logo production will be fully delegated to AI.
But the real issue isn’t the ability to generate a visual shape.
The value of a brand doesn’t lie in the aesthetics of its logo—it lives in the story it tells, the meaning it carries, and the emotional connection it builds with its audience. This is where the irreplaceable role of communication and branding professionals comes in. Technology can generate form. Only strategic thinking can give it meaning.
A real-world example brings this into focus. One element of our logo shares a visual similarity with that of a well-known Italian brand in the technical gear industry. Is it plagiarism? Absolutely not. Our symbol stems from a strategic decision: it represents growth and continuous optimization—backed by HubSpot, the platform we use to measure progress for the companies that choose to work with us. It has nothing to do with skis or mountain boots. And that’s the point: design isn’t just about lines and colors. It’s about meaning and market positioning.
We’re witnessing an unprecedented visual saturation. Technology now allows for the generation of an infinite number of logos, patterns, and visual identities—often with strikingly similar results. Formal originality is becoming harder to achieve. AI has removed barriers to output, but in doing so, it has triggered a dangerous convergence: identical patterns, the same palettes, predictable layouts.
Strategy is the only thing that keeps your brand from being mistaken for a thousand others. You don’t need a different logo—you need a brand identity that no one else could own. In this landscape, the real competitive edge is not in form, but in content: the strategic thinking behind the identity, and the story it tells.
A powerful logo isn’t just a graphic mark, it’s a narrative device. It’s a symbol of a company’s journey, a visual manifesto of its values. Design isn’t self-referential—it’s a tool for positioning and differentiation. AI can generate countless variations of a logo. But it can’t build an identity that stirs emotion. That remains the domain of strategic (and human) branding.
The future of design doesn’t lie in blind automation, but in the integration of technology and strategy. Digital tools speed up execution—but value lies in brand thinking and storytelling. In an era where everything feels déjà vu, the role of the designer is shifting: from creator to curator. Someone who knows what works, what aligns, what should be discarded. Above all, someone who knows which questions to ask—because a strong brand identity doesn’t emerge from automated answers. It comes from complex thinking.
Article published in Ticino Management April 2025 - Eureka, Digital
