At SketchDeck, we see a universe of creative opportunity in how we help our clients bring brands to life, and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is an important part of that process. However, as with any new technology, we recognize the importance of maintaining strong artistic and ethical standards.
GenAI allows us to move faster, explore more ideas, and support different stages of the creative process. But it doesn’t replace the human insight, judgment, and experience required to produce thoughtful, high-quality work.
What is Generative AI (GenAI)?
Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that uses machine learning models to create new content from existing data. In simple terms, it can generate text, images, videos, and more based on a prompt.
For example, tools like ChatGPT can take a short request and produce a blog post, marketing copy, or even a story in seconds. Today, GenAI is widely used across industries to support tasks like content creation, research summaries, and idea generation.
While these tools can accelerate early-stage work, their outputs still require human oversight to ensure accuracy, relevance, and alignment with a brand’s voice.
How Does SketchDeck Use GenAI?
We use GenAI in targeted ways that support our process while maintaining the quality and originality our clients expect.
Research and early-stage development
One of the most valuable uses of GenAI is accelerating research and early-stage creative development. It allows us to quickly synthesize information, explore different directions, and generate initial concepts for brand strategy and creative work. While these outputs are not final assets, they provide a strong starting point and allow our team to spend more time refining ideas and delivering thoughtful, on-brand work.
Summarizing and organizing insights
We use tools like Otter.ai to record and transcribe calls, helping us capture and organize key takeaways from discovery and brainstorm sessions. Being able to check automatically generated transcripts against our notes helps confirm alignment and ensure we’re moving in the right direction.
We also use tools like FigJam AI to set up brainstorm templates and capture ideas in real time. This helps ensure alignment and gives our teams a clear foundation to build from.
Supporting creative exploration
Just as creatives have long used tools like thesauruses, search engines, magazines, mind maps, and mood boards, we use GenAI as a thought starter. This might include asking a GenAI tool questions to better understand a complex topic or exploring visual directions in platforms like Adobe Firefly, Midjourney, and DALL·E. GenAI acts as a virtual brainstorming partner that helps spark ideas, which our team then refines into fully developed concepts.
Our Principles for Using GenAI
Of course, with any new technology comes new responsibilities. At SketchDeck, we follow a set of guiding principles to ensure GenAI supports our work without compromising quality or integrity:
| GenAI can save time and allow us to focus on strategy and creative thinking. |
| BUT: It is not an excuse to rush the work. Research, proofreading, source-checking, and attention to detail still matter. |
| GenAI reflects many existing ideas and best practices. |
| BUT: Not every great idea exists online. Original thinking comes from human perspective and experience, and we are mindful to avoid creating work that feels derivative or overly influenced by what already exists. |
| GenAI can help inspire new creative directions. |
| BUT: It does not guide strategy – we do. Our team brings the context, judgment, and understanding needed to develop solutions that are right for each client. Strong strategy still requires a human point of view. |
| GenAI tools claim to keep your data inputs secure. |
| BUT: We don’t input sensitive or identifiable client information into these platforms. |
| It can be difficult to distinguish between human and AI-generated content. |
| BUT: We are transparent about how AI is used, and we do not deliver AI-generated copy or visuals as final work. AI can support ideation and streamline parts of the process, but final outputs are always developed and refined by our team, so clients can feel confident in the work. |
| GenAI continues to evolve quickly. |
| BUT: We must evaluate when and how it should be used. Just because we can use GenAI doesn’t mean we always should. At SketchDeck, we review outputs for accuracy, bias, and overall quality, recognizing that AI is only as good as its inputs and not all inputs are reliable. |
The Role of AI in Creative Work
Will GenAI replace creatives one day? Call us biased, but we don’t think so.
What we see instead is a shift. Creative teams are learning how to work alongside these tools while maintaining a strong point of view.
There is still something distinctly human about great creative work. We see it in discovery calls and brainstorms with our clients, where ideas take shape in real time. That kind of connection and collaboration is what makes brands memorable, and it’s not something technology can replicate.
In a sea of AI-generated words and images, the human touch will continue to stand out.
Partner with SketchDeck
At SketchDeck, we combine human creativity with the right tools to help brands move faster without sacrificing quality, originality, or the strategy behind it all.
Ready to build something that stands out? Let’s talk.
