Brainstorming with AI: tools and a framework for designers

AI is here to stay. Statistics show that it saves creatives over an hour a day by streamlining tasks, and 48% of marketing leaders have already invested in AI tools for their teams. Dive in to see how AI can boost your brainstorming and spark new creative ideas.

How AI can be helpful in ideation

• Overcome the blank page syndrome. Artificial intelligence is great for idea visualization, like color schemes or layout templates, making it easier to start.
• Handle repetitive tasks. You can save hours of your time by delegating radius work to AI—75% of creatives say they use AI to reduce manual task time. It can create background patterns or generate multiple variations of a design element, so you can focus on the main concept.
• Break free from bias. AI challenges your usual style so you can think outside the box.
• Speed up brainstorming or mindstorming. AI generates a wide range of ideas, such as multiple taglines or visual themes, allowing you to explore many options in a short amount of time. 

Handy AI tools for creatives

ChatGPT

How it works: AI generates text-based ideas.

Best for: designers who want to brainstorm ideas, write narratives, and craft storytelling projects.

Practical use: if you need catchy taglines for a new product, ChatGPT can generate multiple creative options, or if you are redesigning a website, it can provide fresh content ideas to enhance user engagement.

Midjourney

How it works: AI turns text descriptions into high-quality images.

Best for designers who want to visualize concepts, create mood boards, and generate illustrations. It is great for presentations, marketing visuals, and conceptual art. 

Practical use: If you need to create a mood board for a new campaign, Midjourney can generate a series of thematic images based on a brief description.

exactly.ai

How it works: AI generates images based on an artist’s unique style.

Best for: designers who want to keep their personal style and create unique AI-generated artwork.

Practical use: if a brand has a specific illustration style, Exactly AI can optimize the creation process, making sure all illustrations maintain the brand’s distinct style.

NewArc.ai

How it works: AI transforms sketches into realistic images and 3D renders.

Best for: creatives who want to turn their sketches into polished designs. 

Practical use: if you need to create 3D icons for a project, NewArc AI can generate these quickly and in various styles, allowing you to show clients realistic visuals of their future products.

Dzine AI

How it works: AI generates visualizations based on ideas.

Best for: designers looking to save time on repetitive tasks, merge different elements into cohesive images, edit photos, and modify objects. 

Practical use: if you need mock-ups to present a brand concept, Dzine AI can generate high-quality visuals that align with a brand style.

Brainstorming framework

This framework provides a process that includes both personal and team brainstorming steps to get the best results. 

Step 1: setting goals and choosing tools

• Set clear goals, like designing an animal-like 3D mascot for your tech project.
• Pick the tools you need, such as ChatGPT for text ideas, Midjourney for visual concepts, exactly.ai to maintain the brand’s style, and NewArc.ai for creating 3D illustrations. 

Step 2: individual brainstorming

• Generate ideas. Start with ChatGPT to brainstorm traits, personality, and a backstory for the mascot. For example, ask, “Generate personality traits and a backstory for a friendly futuristic tech mascot”.
• Visualize concepts. Use Midjourney to turn these text descriptions into high-quality images. For example, describe the mascot’s traits to get a series of themed images.
• Refine style. Use exactly.ai to make sure the mascot illustrations match the brand’s unique style. Provide a sample illustration to generate matching images.

Step 3: group brainstorming 

• Bring the team together to share their AI-generated ideas and visuals. Each member presents their mascot concepts and visuals.
• Choose the best idea or combine several good ideas into one unified mascot design.
• Visualize in 3D. Use NewArc AI to create 3D renders of the mascot. Turn the final sketch into a detailed 3D render to see how the mascot would look in real life.
• Create mock-ups. Use Dzine AI to create mock-ups of the mascot in different scenarios, like on the website, in marketing materials, and in user interfaces. 
• Present these mock-ups to the stakeholders to approve the final mascot look.

Check out 6 more frameworks to help your design team easily brainstorm fresh ideas.