Can using AI in visual design ever be truly creative?

Matt Pierce of TechSmith posed that question to Mike Parkinson during an interview for The Visual Lounge podcast.

Matt hosted Mike for a special live show of his The Visual Lounge podcast. He recorded the show at the Training 2025 Conference produced by Training Magazine.

Mike and Matt chatted about where AI can fit into visual design and content creation. Mike called AI the “future of creativity.” Rather than replacing creative talent, he sees it as a “friction fixer” or “smart start.” His take on AI is to view it like a “drunk intern”—something that could help you in the creative process but not something you’d want to hand full control to.

For those who have struggled with AI prompts and results, Mike shares the three rules of using AI to get the most out of it. The running theme in this episode is that context is key, which always comes from humans themselves. With context and the right approach, you can make AI a fundamental part of the creative process.

You can listen to the full episode on The Visual Lounge podcast.

Or, check out the video of the live interview below.