How Brands Will Evolve in the Age of AI – #1 “Nurturing and Guiding AI as a Highly Capable Subordinate”

A Career Built Alongside Brands

— First, could you introduce yourself?

Kimura: I work at Gramco as a graphic designer and director. Over the past decade-plus, I’ve been involved in a wide range of branding projects—from global brands to domestic ones, across many industries and scales.
When people hear “branding,” they often think of logos or advertising. But our work is much broader: research, concept development, visual identity, brand guidelines, packaging, advertising, and spatial design.
Recently, I’ve been especially focused on developing “brand styles”—building systems that express a company’s purpose consistently across diverse media while functioning as powerful tools. Visualizing a company’s purpose is becoming more important than ever, and I see it as our responsibility to support that realization.

The Cultural Shock That Transformed the Design Industry

— How has the design field changed over the last 10–15 years?

Kimura: It has changed a lot. When I was a student, Apple’s Macintosh (Mac) shook the entire design industry. Organizations and individuals involved in creative work had to decide whether to adopt Mac or not.
I remember my supervisors at the studio where I worked as a part-timer having serious discussions about “whether to use Mac.” Some even left the industry, saying, “I’m not going to use Mac.”
Back then, it was practically a binary choice: "Adopt Mac = continue working in design" "Not adopt Mac = leave the industry"
Before Mac, there was a job called “comp writer,” who hand‑drew realistic images for client presentations to show what a photoshoot would look like. But Macs dramatically improved compositing technology, allowing designers to prepare much more developed visuals before going into a shoot.
When I think back to that time, I feel the same thing is happening now with AI—but at a much faster, broader, and more impactful scale. Macs were a change in tools. AI, on the other hand, is transformative because its defining feature is “anyone can use it.” This allows even non‑professionals to create high‑quality visuals, shaking the very structure of the industry.

Democratization of Design and the Role of Professionals

Kimura: AI democratizes design. People with good taste can now produce decent output without specialized training. This is wonderful in many ways, but it also means that “something that looks about right” can be made by anyone. It risks turning design into a commodity.
This is precisely why the role of professionals is being questioned.
Our job is not to produce “something that looks right” but to design how a brand’s worldview is constructed and what kind of experience we deliver to society. Long-term values and narratives are intertwined with branding. AI can generate ideas quickly, but it cannot provide the context, emotion, or meaning behind a brand.
This strengthens the responsibility of humans as architects and directors.

AI as a Partner for Clarifying Thoughts

— How do you personally see AI?

Kimura: I see AI as a “high‑IQ junior employee.”
It generates many ideas quickly, but it doesn’t take responsibility. It does exactly what you tell it to do, but can’t explain why. Ultimately, humans make the decisions and give meaning.
AI is especially useful in design for organizing thoughts and conducting research. If I fully understand the project, it’s often faster to think for myself. But when information is limited and you need to reach conclusions quickly, AI helps by generating comprehensive ideas that I can narrow down.
Through multiple back‑and‑forth exchanges, my thinking becomes clearer and new angles emerge. This stimulates team discussions and ultimately raises the quality of proposals and client communication. Designers who are not naturally verbal can also benefit greatly.
Speed is another advantage. At early stages, visualizing multiple directions quickly helps clients intuitively see what fits the brand and what doesn’t, which accelerates discussions.
But AI’s output is only a starting point.
This is where direction becomes crucial: "What do we adopt?" "What do we discard?" "What intent do we embed?"
AI is powerful, but misusing it as a “magic tool” is dangerous. The real test for designers now is how well they can guide and manage this “talented subordinate.”

Tensions Surrounding AI Adoption in the Field

— What reactions do you see regarding AI adoption?

Kimura: Opinions vary widely. Some companies ban AI due to concerns about information leaks, yet individuals often use it independently, which increases risk—especially when guidelines and security measures aren’t in place.Key risks include copyright issues and brand damage.
Commercial use is risky when the rights of AI training data are unclear. Output may unintentionally contain fragments of copyrighted works or infringe on someone’s likeness. There are still many gray areas.
This mirrors how some companies previously misused online “free materials” without verifying licensing. The same risks apply to AI-generated content:
You must confirm whether something is commercially usable or redistributable.
Another issue is quality. AI-generated visuals with small mistakes—like “weird hands”—can go viral and hurt brand credibility. Something acceptable for a short-lived social post may be unacceptable for core brand assets. Prioritizing speed alone could damage brand equity.
Using AI isn’t inherently bad. The key is clearly defining where, when, and to what extent it should be used. Companies urgently need policies and guidelines.

How the Industry Is Approaching AI Adoption

— What stance is the industry taking on AI?

Kimura: Many companies still don’t have a clear stance, either externally or internally. At Gramco, we formed a team last year to examine AI implementation thoroughly, including concerns such as information security. We’re now working on guidelines so AI becomes a strategic tool rather than a threat.

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In Part 1, we discussed the changes and risks brought by AI and the evolving role of humans. In Part 2, we look at how AI is used in real branding projects and explore its connection to management and strategy.