Though our feelings about AI remain complex, we believe anyone working in our industry — including us — has a professional obligation to understand and engage with it thoughtfully.
Our primary use of AI is in building online design systems that draw on time-honored principles of grids, proportion, and typography. Many of these systems are visible on our website. We also use AI for research and planning, particularly on technically complex subjects. In general, we value AI for its ability to help us build systems that support creativity — though not for the work it generates on its own.
We believe AI can support creative work, but it should never replace the human judgment, intention, and responsibility behind it.
At Shew Design, AI is used as a tool to assist research, brainstorming, workflow improvement, coding support, editing, refinement, and selective illustration assistance. We also explore ways to build internal tools that better support our own creative and operational practices.
We do not use AI to replace strategic thinking, creative direction, or client collaboration. Final decisions — including strategy, messaging, copy approval, and creative direction — remain human-led.
Our use of AI is guided by a commitment to originality, intentionality, and thoughtful execution. We believe meaningful creative work still depends on human perspective, experience, taste, and judgment.
We do not use AI for:
- imagery used in logos
- fully AI-generated branding systems
- fake photography presented as real
- AI-generated testimonials
- impersonation
- scraping competitors
- replacing client-approved collaborators
- entering confidential client information into public AI tools
We remain cautious about intellectual property and originality concerns surrounding AI-generated content, and we review all AI-assisted work through a human lens before it becomes part of any client deliverable.
Technology will continue to evolve. Our responsibility is to use it thoughtfully, transparently within our process, and in ways that strengthen — rather than diminish — the quality and integrity of our work.
The value of creative work comes from human skill, motivation, ability, and judgment.
