CREATIVE BY ALGORITHM
How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing the World of Pubmats and Layout
Abstract
One prompt and a few seconds of waiting—that is how quickly a poster, publication material, or illustration can now be created using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Tasks that once required hours of conceptualizing, choosing colors, arranging text, and creating an original design can now be completed within seconds. As a result, the world of graphic design and campus publication is rapidly changing.
With the rise of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Adobe Firefly, Canva AI, and other AI image generators, more students are using technology to create pubmats, posters, infographics, and even entire layouts. For some, these tools are valuable in making their work faster and easier. However, for actual layout artists, this development raises concerns that appreciation for human creativity may gradually diminish.
This is not only a matter of art but also of science and technology.
According to experts, generative AI uses deep learning and artificial neural networks to study millions of images, designs, colors, and fonts from different datasets. From these, it learns to generate new designs based on patterns it has identified. It does not truly create in the same way humans do; instead, it uses mathematical models to predict the most suitable output based on the prompt provided.
According to UNESCO (2023), generative AI can be beneficial in education when used responsibly. However, the organization emphasizes that it should not replace students’ creativity, critical thinking, and original work.
For a student layout artist, human creativity remains essential in the design process.
“When I see that a layout can be created with just one prompt, it can be discouraging because we spend hours or even days studying the principles of design. But I still believe that human-made work is different because every design has its own idea, purpose, and emotion,” said “Andrew,” a Grade 10 student of Dr. Gerardo Sabal Memorial National High School whose real name is withheld.
On the other hand, some students view AI as a tool that makes their tasks easier.
“Sometimes I really use AI for school outputs because it is fast and the results look good,” said a Senior High School (SHS) student of Dr. Gerardo Sabal Memorial National High School who frequently uses AI to create layouts and illustrations for school projects.
Studies in computer science and behavioral technology have shown that AI can help speed up creative work and increase productivity. However, research published in Nature Human Behaviour (2024) also suggests that excessive reliance on AI may result in more similar-looking designs and reduce the originality of creative outputs.
Meanwhile, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has also emphasized that AI cannot replace uniquely human skills such as creativity, artistic judgment, visual storytelling, empathy, and ethical decision-making. These elements give every design its distinct identity—something that cannot be fully produced by an algorithm.
In campus journalism, the quality of a layout is not measured by its visual appeal alone. Creativity, originality, and responsible use of technology are equally important. AI can serve as an assistant in brainstorming, developing initial concepts, and speeding up certain processes, but the final concept, composition, and message should still come from the human creator.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, the challenge for layout artists and illustrators also grows. The real question is not whether AI will replace humans, but how it will be used with responsibility and integrity.
The best design is not necessarily the one that can be made the fastest, but the one that carries its own story, has a clear purpose, and reflects creativity—qualities that remain uniquely rooted in the human mind and heart.
