Will artificial intelligence replace car designers?
As it becomes increasingly clear what artificial intelligence can be used for, some professions appear to be becoming obsolete. But does this also apply to car designers?
Dall-E is a program that generates its own images based on artificial intelligence. You tell the bot what you want to see and the digital artist gets to work. The AI tool uses all available images on the Internet as a database.
Artificial intelligence as a car designer
Manners has previously tested whether this is free AIProgramm could design better BMWs than the German brand itself. In the process, entertaining and, at first glance, even beautiful designs have emerged. Obviously nothing that can easily go into production.
But what if these so-called text to the imageprograms are getting better? Car designer Frank Stephenson explores the question of whether car designers are replaceable. He designed the first BMW X5 and his CV also includes other car manufacturers such as Ferrari, Mini, Maserati, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and McLaren.
“This is the future we’ve been told about in the past,” Stephenson says on his YouTube channel. “If you had told me as a kid that a computer could make all my fantasies come true, my head would have gone crazy.”
tool for designers
The designer points this out Tool have many useful applications. When computers can do the tedious sketching on the fly, designers have more time for the finer details.
In addition, artificial intelligence cannot be applied to everything. According to the designer, since these AI tools work with already existing images, it becomes difficult to develop a completely new design language for a new brand. Also in the things that AI can design, you always need someone to judge if you like it.
Danger
But Stephenson also sees the risk for designers. “Fewer car designers will be needed in the future,” he says. He also points out that money is also at stake. Compared to a computer, designers are extremely expensive. “I’m glad about it Tool didn’t exist when I was working as a designer.”
By the way, Stephenson just likes to play along. “McLaren is one of the few luxury brands without an SUV in the range. Fortunately, we no longer have to wait for the brand itself to come up with a tall car, we can simply ask if that’s the case AI bot want to design one,” says Stephenson when he Hatchback designed by Ferrari Type.
Another practical special feature of these programs is that they can develop vehicles in which car brands have not yet participated. For example, the designer believes that so-called eVTOLs, a small type of aircraft, will gain in importance in the transport sector. Artificial intelligence can already design an eVTOL from BMW. In addition to the threat, Stephenson sees many opportunities. “This is a huge step forward for the creative world.”