Can You Use AI For Banner Print Design?

Artificial intelligence has evolved and exploded in the last couple of years. There are so many things that can be done more efficiently today thanks to AI, but it can’t yet be used for everything.

AI artwork certainly has its limitations.

AI is trained on general data sets, so it cannot reflect your unique brand. It also outputs in raster format, which can look fuzzy when enlarged for print.

Here’s what you need to know before paying that monthly subscription to the hot new AI website your friend shared in a Facebook group for writers.

Why Is AI Artwork Bad For Printing?

There’s a few major holes in AI artwork designs:

1. AI design platforms use a raster based platform.

Raster images are comprised of pixels and are resolution-dependent, meaning that if you enlarge a raster image, it will not be clear. When we enlarge the image to fit your desired banner size, it gets blurry and pixelated.

Vector files on the other hand are made up of mathematical formulas and paths which can be scaled to any size without losing resolution, and therefore are the ideal for large print banners.

2. AI artwork fills its images with in-depth detail and embellishments. 

All these extra touches do not usually appear favorably when you enlarge a small image to a large backdrop, such as a 10’x15’. 

In addition, most banner artwork we see – from the thousands of banners over two decades of printing – are simple, with few colors and a large logo or one focal point. You need the audience to fixate on a fixed point, and not get lost in details. 

AI doesn’t factor in how your branding will look at a massive event. It just produces colors and details at your whim – and usually overdoes it. 

3. AI art programs are trained on large sets of data – not specific brands.

They create their images based on the millions of pieces of art they’ve “seen” that have descriptions similar to the specifications you input in their system. 

The AI creating the art doesn’t understand anything it’s doing, it merely works off massive generalities. 

That’s why AI art is great for creating general designs – like cats, because there’s more cats on the internet than people (well, close, anyhow).

When you ask AI art to consider your specific brand, it literally has zero capabilities or skills to hone in on your tone and tenor and convey your message.

How Is AI Helpful In Printing?

AI can be utilized as an aid to create print-ready artwork in a few ways.

1. AI-powered tools are great for detecting potential errors or issues in your artwork. AI will quickly identify common mistakes such as low-resolution, improper color settings, and missing fonts. By using such tools, print customers can save the time and effort manual editing would take.

2. Artificial Intelligence tools can be used to enhance images, optimizing them for print. Tools such as color balance, background remover, and others analyze existing factors to ensure the image will look best on print items. This helps reduce the risk of costly reprinting by catching errors early on.

AI is a beneficial tool when used for these specific tasks in the banner printing design process.

At Northcoast Banners, our team members inspect every design with our own, very human eyes so ensure it will print beautifully at print size – we ain’t gonna leave that job to any AI tool. So get in touch today!