Halifax design agency owner shares how he uses artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to change the way people do things, with its use increasing in the workplace, school and even on personal devices through platforms like ChatGPT.
One person working with and benefiting from AI is Doug Belding, the owner of Halifax-based design agency DLB Creative.
Belding says the main way he uses AI is to understand his clients’ problems and what they are trying to create.
“Then kind of going through what tools are available out there for AI and customizing a system together of those tools for them to help them execute (it) more efficiently.”
Belding says his clients also don’t always have time to stay up-to-date with the latest in AI, or see what is coming down the road.
“That’s something I do to make sure that if a tool isn’t working for them, that we thought it might efficiently, effectively, in the beginning, we can swap it out for something else,” he says.
Belding provided a recent example of a small boutique design firm he worked with that was struggling with custom illustrations and photos.
“We were going through what their brand was, and also what their clients tend to like. So from that point we’d go into a tool, so like Midjourney, and really kind of work how we could make those photos look realistic,” he says.
“But do things interesting as well, like chose the type of people that we want in there, what their backgrounds are, or what their ethnicities are, what they’re doing in those photos, and also, too, you can determine what the shots look like based on if you have an understanding of photography as well.”
A recent survey by Leger suggests Canadians have mixed feelings about AI and Belding says he can understand why some people are hesitant or fearful of the technology.
“It’s a disruption, things are changing, I think it’s very interesting, and with that change a lot of great things can come from it as well,” he says.
“AI’s been with us for a bit – you think of Alexa, you think of Netflix, or YouTube, the things you like or tend to watch that’ll give you more things like that, so you’re training that AI, as an example, to kind of give you what you want.”
Belding says AI is just one of many tools available for people to use, but they need to “work with it.”
“You almost have to date it a bit and speak to it how you want it to speak back to you. And it’s an ongoing relationship, it’s not something that you just do once and it comes back perfectly,” he says.
AI can also be a timesaver for clients, Belding says, allowing them to build a repository of files so they don’t have to outsource them.
“If they needed it just for a quick back-and-forth with a client to get approval that takes away weeks of back-and-forth of like, once the client has time to see it they’ll say yes or no, and you could almost work succinctly together in a much smaller meeting and get to the end product much quicker.”
Overall, Belding believes AI can be a positive and helpful tool in the workplace.
“Right now, you see it in the medical field where it’s helping people, like physicians diagnose things faster, safety in vehicles, it’s helping farmers grow food, it really has a lot of applications,” he says.
Belding also offered tips for people wanting to be more informed when it comes to AI.
“I think being curious and then talking to people about it and asking about it,” he says. “There are a lot of tools out there, so it can feel very overwhelming for someone like myself who is very interested and in there, it is very overwhelming to know what’s out there, but really just don’t be shy about it, ask about it, play around with it, it’s available.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Robert Pickton stabbed with toothbrush and broken broom handle: victim's family
The family of one of Robert Pickton's victims says the convicted serial killer suffered an incredibly violent death at the hands of another inmate.
Father who killed one-year-old son with axe may be allowed to travel in southwestern Ontario
A Mennonite father who killed his one-year-old son with an axe may be allowed to travel to parts of southern Ontario in the coming months
'It feels like freedom': Why some Albertans like going nude in nature
Few people can say they accidentally purchased a nude beach — but Shelley can. When she saw a piece of land she could fondly remember camping on was up for sale, she inquired about it and ended up purchasing it. She soon found that there were already inhabitants on it.
Panama prepares to evacuate first island in face of rising sea level
On a tiny island off Panama's Caribbean coast, about 300 families are packing their belongings in preparation for a dramatic change. Generations of Gunas who have grown up on Gardi Sugdub in a life dedicated to the sea and tourism will trade that next week for the mainland’s solid ground.
Trump election victory 'very unlikely,' but 'possible': former FBI director Comey
Former FBI director James Comey says while he believes former U.S. president Donald Trump "will be defeated" in the upcoming presidential election, he doesn’t think it’s a given.
Two celestial shows will be visible across Canada this week
Canada is getting not one – but two – celestial shows over the next few days. Keep an eye on the sky for the northern lights and parade of planets!
WestJet ordered to pay B.C. traveller $1,300 for a missed flight connection
A B.C. traveller will receive more than $1,300 in compensation from WestJet for a missed flight connection following a decision from the province's small claims tribunal.
Jennifer Lopez cancels summer tour: 'I am completely heartsick and devastated'
Jennifer Lopez has cancelled her 2024 North American tour, representatives for Live Nation confirmed to The Associated Press.
Hundreds of workers on strike at Gibraltar copper mine in British Columbia
More than 500 workers are on strike at the Gibraltar copper mine in central British Columbia, about 200 kilometres south of Prince George.