Artificial Intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept—it’s already transforming industries across the board, and design is no exception. From concept art and UI mockups to intricate logo creation and photo editing, AI tools are empowering designers to push boundaries and create stunning work more efficiently than ever before. Whether you’re a freelance graphic designer, a UX guru, or a creative director leading a team, knowing which AI tools can skyrocket your workflow is essential.
In this comprehensive list, we’ve rounded up 18 AI tools that every designer should have in their arsenal. These tools span from image generators and video editing aids to layout optimization platforms and logo design apps. Let’s dive in!
1. Midjourney
Best for: Concept art, mood boards, and visual storytelling
Midjourney is an AI-powered text-to-image generator that enables designers to create surreal artwork and high-impact visuals from textual prompts. Its artistic rendering style is especially favored in fashion, animation, and branding projects.
2. DALL·E 2
Best for: Digital illustrations and editorial graphics
Brought to you by OpenAI, DALL·E 2 is perfect for creating high-quality images with imaginative scenes. From conceptual logos to icons for apps, it transforms natural language input into diverse visuals effortlessly.
3. Runway ML
Best for: Video editing and motion graphics
Runway ML revolutionizes post-production with features like AI-generated motion tracking, background removal, and automatic color grading. It’s ideal for designers working with content marketing or multimedia campaigns.
4. Looka
Best for: AI-generated logos
Design stunning logos in minutes using Looka’s intelligent interface. Input your brand values and aesthetic preferences, and the AI does the rest. Perfect for startups or freelancers on a tight timeline.
5. Designs.ai
Best for: Complete branding kits
This platform generates logos, videos, infographics, and voiceovers. With a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor, Designs.ai streamlines everything from logo creation to full-fledged brand identity packages.
6. Khroma
Best for: Color palette generation
Khroma uses AI to learn your favorite colors and then generates endless palettes based on your preferences. Perfect for UI/UX designers and branding specialists who need on-brand color harmonies quickly.
7. Autodraw
Best for: Quick sketches and icons
Google’s Autodraw turns rough doodles into clean, polished icons and sketches in real time. It’s especially useful for wireframes or when you need a quick placeholder image that still looks professional.
8. Uizard
Best for: UI mockups and prototyping
Uizard turns your sketches or even textual ideas into workable app or website UI designs. It offers templates for landing pages, mobile apps, and dashboards, making it perfect for product designers and marketers alike.
9. Let’s Enhance
Best for: Image upscaling and enhancement
This AI tool sharpens and enlarges low-quality images without pixelation. It’s a lifesaver when working with images from clients that are too small or blurry for professional use.
10. Remove.bg
Best for: Background removal
Need to isolate a subject fast? Remove.bg uses AI to seamlessly eliminate backgrounds from images in seconds. Perfect for ecommerce, product showcases, and portfolio work.
11. VanceAI
Best for: Bulk enhancement and background editing
VanceAI offers tools for photo enhancement, colorizing black-and-white photos, and batch background editing. Its one-click tools help designers meet demanding deadlines without sacrificing quality.
12. Canva AI Features
Best for: Social media graphics and layouts
Canva now integrates useful AI features like Magic Resize, Text-to-Image, and Magic Write. It’s a great time-saver for solo designers looking to automate routine tasks on a polished, user-friendly platform.
13. Fontjoy
Best for: Typography pairing
Fontjoy uses deep learning to suggest font pairings that work well together. Enter your preferred font or style, and discover pairings that enhance visual harmony across your design projects.
14. Illustroke
Best for: SVG illustrations from prompts
Enter a description, and Illustroke will furnish you with AI-generated vector illustrations in SVG format. It’s ideal for blog headers, UI visuals, or marketing graphics that want a hand-drawn feel without hiring an illustrator.
15. Blend
Best for: Ecommerce product image editing
Blend uses AI to produce professional-looking product images using just one shot. It can add realistic shadows, backgrounds, and enhance lighting for product photos on marketplaces like Etsy or Amazon.
16. Deep Art Effects
Best for: Turning photos into artwork
This tool applies neural-style transfer techniques to transform photos into paintings inspired by historic artistic styles, such as Van Gogh or Picasso. Great for poster design, album covers, or themed visuals.
17. Cleanup.pictures
Best for: Object removal from images
An AI-based retouching tool that effortlessly removes unwanted items from photos. Just brush over the distraction, and the tool’s AI fills in the background seamlessly.
18. LogoAI
Best for: Custom logo creation with brand strategy
LogoAI doesn’t just generate logos—it considers typography, color balance, and brand strategy to suggest logos that reflect your target audience and brand presence. An excellent option for designers building brand identities from scratch.
Final Thoughts
The integration of AI into design tools isn’t just a trend—it’s a paradigm shift. By adopting these 18 AI-powered tools, you’re not replacing creativity; you’re enhancing it. These platforms give you more time to focus on the art of design and less on repetitive or technical details.
Whether you’re sketching a website layout, enhancing an image, or creating a brand from the ground up, there’s an AI assistant out there to elevate your workflow. Try out some (or all) of these tools and discover how AI can become your most efficient, creative teammate.
