AI in product design can be very useful. While you’re busy doing the creative tasks that you love, AI can take over the repetitive tasks that consume your time.

AI can be a useful commodity for small businesses, helping you with marketing and customer service, as well as being there to help spark up a creative flame if you find yourself stuck for inspiration.

Below, we take a look at how you can use AI for product design and how Adobe Express’ generative AI tools can help.

What is AI product design?

AI product design is where you use artificial intelligence as part of your product design processes.

It can be used for a range of things, from designing prototypes and testing concepts, to determining the best packaging and analysing customer feedback.

You’ll also find a range of different AI tools to choose from, based on the task you’re wanting to complete. AI image generators – like the one on Adobe Express – can help with initial designs and product packaging elements, while resizing tools can help with making sure everything fits on the final product.

How can AI help in product design?

In you’re in a creative role, the last thing you want is mundane, repetitive tasks interrupting your creative flow. This is where AI in product design can help. It can become your right-hand man, your sous chef – assisting you every step of the way.

Here are some ways you can put AI to work alongside you.

• Automating repetitive processes. Free up your time by having AI automate repetitive tasks such as inventory checking and customer service.
• Helping with inspiration. Use AI generators to spark up some inspiration. From asking for image prompts to seeing what the idea in your head will look like in reality.
• Scaling production. You can use AI as another team member if you want, helping you to scale production.
• Analysing data. Is one of your products selling more than others? You could analyse data and feedback to gain an understanding of why it’s doing well.
• Saving time and money. As AI can help speed up processes, it can save you time and money by helping you with initial planning, as well as the design process and marketing too.
• Help you overcome challenges. If you’re stuck on a design aspect, using AI to assist you can help keep a project on track.

How to use AI for product design: our top tips.

Knowing how and where to use AI can help streamline and optimise a designer’s tasks. Below we take a look at how you can use the power of AI to benefit your projects.

1. Begin with a brainstorm.

Whether you’re struggling to get a project off the ground or you simply want some inspiration and ideas, you can use AI to help generate initial visions for designs. You could use an image prompt to generate an image of something you have in your mind.

That way, you don’t have to waste resource producing detailed product designs for something that might not work. Instead, use AI to see if your ideas are feasible at the start.

2. Generate initial product ideas.

Once you’ve brainstormed your ideas and have some initial plans, you can then take it to the next level and use AI to build out the first designs of your product ideas. You can keep amending designs until you’re ready by adjusting the variables. Then add them into a presentation ready to showcase to key stakeholders.

3. Simulations and scenario analysis.

Create simulations of your designs and play out scenarios with the help of AI. Understand if your design will work and reduce time and resources with a virtual testing environment that you can adjust accordingly.

4. Analyse user data and responses.

Learn what your customers want thanks to AI that analyses user data. You can make informed decisions about product design when AI has saved you time and energy trawling through data for you.

5. Create product marketing materials.

Get your products in the right hands when you use AI to generate product marketing materials. From posters and flyers, to social media messaging, there is a fantastic range of AI tools that can help capture the perfect marketing message for your products.

6. Analyse design and material options.

AI can help you make informed decisions when it comes to your design and material options. It can collate data on a wide range of materials to ensure you make the best choice for your products and customers.

7. Optimise your products and designs.

Ensuring your products meet the right standards is essential. AI can help generate a variety of options that optimise your designs. Looking at elements such as weight, size and cost could help improve the manufacturing of the products.

How can Adobe Express help you harness AI for product design?

Adobe Express has a wealth of tools which can help in many areas of product design. Below we break down the different ways you can use the free platform to inspire your creativity.

1. Generate designs from text.

With the text-to-image generator, you can bring any of your ideas to life. High-quality, detailed images can be created with just a prompt.

Generating images with AI can be useful for product design as you can keep making adjustments before you’re ready to do the final design on the finished product.

2. Create unique marketing materials.

Put your energy into designing the products, then use AI to create your marketing materials. Post your designs online with a striking Instagram post made with generative AI tools on Adobe Express.

3. Build your products from scratch.

We don’t stop at designs either. You can also produce the final product with the help of Adobe Express. Use the print-on-demand feature to generate, design and print a range of customised products from t-shirts to mugs.

4. Edit and perfect your products.

There are a range of editing tools available to make sure you create products customers will love. From perfect placement to adding effects, there are plenty of ways you can edit and customise your AI product designs with Adobe Express.

5. Add intriguing text effects to your product packaging.

Generate and choose from a variety of text effects and styles. Add a new dimension to any text on your product designs – making sure its bespoke to your brand. Create captivating packaging to protect your products with Adobe Express’s text effect tools and features.

Generate design templates to create at scale with Adobe Express.

With Adobe Express’s AI design template generator, you can build branded templates to use in your current product designs and beyond. Rather than starting a project from scratch, you can use the customisable templates to give every project a head start.

Put your valuable time into other areas of your product design process, such as testing and personalisation. Choose from a range of fonts, colours, images and more to ensure your templates suit your style.

Try Adobe Express for free now

Good to know.

How can I use AI to design merchandise?

When it comes to AI for designing merchandise, an image generator and text editor can help you design graphics for items such as t-shirts and hoodies. Simply enter your prompt and align the final design to your brand – then you’re ready to print.

Which AI tool is best for product design?

Adobe Express has a range of helpful and advanced AI tools that that can help you with your product design projects. We use the generative power of Adobe Firely to help you generate images, art, audio and video with ease – all in one place.

Is Adobe Express free?

Yes, our free plan offers many core features including thousands of templates, photo editing and effects, animation, and 5 GB of storage. See our pricing page for details and to compare plans.