Can using AI in visual design ever be truly creative? This week’s guest would go one step further and call AI the “future of creativity.”

Mike Parkinson, Principal of 24 Hour Company and Owner of Billion Dollar Graphics, joins us for a special live show of The Visual Lounge, hosted at Training 2025, a conference and expo produced by Training Magazine.

We chat about where AI can fit into visual design and content creation and why Mike calls it a “friction fixer” or a “smart start” rather than a replacement for creative talent. His take on AI is to view it like a “drunk intern” – something that could help you in the creative process but not something you’d want to hand full control to.

For those who have struggled with AI prompts and results, Mike shares the three rules of using AI to get the most out of it. The running theme in this episode is that context is key and that always has to come from humans themselves. With context and the right approach, you can make AI a fundamental part of the creative process.

Learning points from the episode include:

00:00 - 01:22 Introduction to Mike
01:22 - 02:58 How to get better at using AI for images
02:58 - 04:02 Does AI follow the Ballmer curve?
04:02 - 06:23 What to do if you’re struggling with AI
06:23 - 09:36 Where most people get AI wrong
09:36 - 11:59 The best use cases of AI in visual design
11:59 - 14:24 Using AI to enhance usability, dopamine hit
14:24 - 16:20 Is using AI creative?
16:20 - 19:00 The dos and don’ts for those in the training space using AI
19:00 - 22:16 Speed round questions
22:16 - 22:55 How to connect with Mike
22:55 - 23:27 Mike’s final take
23:27 - 23:59 Outro

Important links and mentions:

Connect with Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-parkinson-bb364/
Visit the Billion Dollar Graphics Website: https://billiondollargraphics.com/
Follow Mike on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikeparkinson_bdg/
Subscribe to Mike Parkinson and Billion Dollar Graphics on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRDQaYfze62MYQ_CO5rjo1w/

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