Small-business owner Jennifer Rudd – who has a background in labelling, product claims, and compliance – weighs up the pros and cons of AI-generated artwork in branding.
There’s growing hype around AI image generation tools, especially since ChatGPT’s major upgrade in March.
For small businesses without a design team, the ability to instantly create high-quality, custom visuals is a game-changer. And with LinkedIn AI gurus claiming you can create Meta ads in minutes and ditch your Canva subscription, it’s no wonder brands are paying attention.
But is it worth the hype? After testing out ChatGPT’s new capabilities myself, here’s what I found.
Where AI images are helpful
ChatGPT’s ability to follow instructions and generate realistic imagery is genuinely impressive, and thankfully, the era of extra fingers and toes seems to be behind us.
With the latest upgrades, AI image tools can save time and money in areas such as:
- Early-stage product concepts – Quickly mock up ideas while you’re still figuring out your look, feel and direction, before investing in product samples or design work.
- Moodboards – Build visual themes for your brand, campaign or website using AI to explore colours, textures and aesthetic direction.
- Visual planning – Clearly communicate visual ideas with designers or photographers to get your ideas across faster.
Whether in the early stages of brand development or further along, AI images can make it easier for small brands to bring creative projects to life.
Where AI images fall short
AI-generated visuals can be impressive – but they’re not perfect. As soon as I uploaded an image of a real product to use in a lifestyle image, things started to fall apart.
Here’s what I found:
- Text was consistently wrong – It might look fine at first glance, but not upon closer inspection, e.g. “UVA & UVB Broad Spectrum” became “UVA and UVb Bread Specition”
- Label fonts and colours didn’t match the real product – No matter how specific the prompts.
- Packaging proportions looked off – Especially when trying to show the product in someone’s hand.
When I asked ChatGPT to replicate the product exactly, it wouldn’t, citing copyright restrictions. This is understandable from a legal perspective, but it’s a significant limitation. Even when I provided the full label text, ChatGPT couldn’t get the real product’s colours, layout or packaging style right.
This is a deal-breaker for any images that need to feature an actual product, such as for e-commerce websites or ad creatives, where anything less than 100% accurate just isn’t good enough. Sure, some of the issues could probably be fixed in Photoshop – but if it takes that much editing, it defeats the purpose of using AI in the first place.
The bigger (less obvious) issue
AI visuals can come across as overly airbrushed or sterile. The lighting might be too perfect. The model a little too flawless. There’s nothing obviously wrong, and a customer might not realise the image is AI, but they’ll subconsciously sense something feels “off”.
In categories like skincare, where trust is built through authenticity and believable results, that subtle disconnect runs the risk of cheapening a brand or leaving customers with a lingering sense of doubt, questioning more than just the label.
How to use AI images responsibly
Stick to using AI image generation tools for creative planning, not as a replacement for professional photography or design work. Use it to move faster, explore ideas and get clearer on your vision.
The reality is that nothing beats the energy of a real model, the subtle edits of a product photographer or the creative touches of a graphic designer that make a final image truly pop.
Final takeaway
AI is a powerful tool, and it’s only going to get smarter, however it’s not a silver bullet. Used thoughtfully, it can save time and spark creative ideas. But when every detail needs to be right, that’s still something it still can’t deliver. With the inevitable explosion of AI images online, brands that stay creative, human and real will be the ones to stand out.
If you’re a small brand focussed on building trust, connection and credibility, it’s not just about what you can do with AI – it’s about what you should. And when it comes to visuals, real still wins. Every time.
