HOT@DOT: Rough Around the Edges

Hot@Dot is a blog series where the Red Dot team explores what’s catching our attention—and why it matters. From emerging tools to standout ideas, we connect inspiration with real-world impact. In a crowded comms landscape, these are the sparks that lead to smarter strategies, stronger brands, and better business decisions.

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By Paige Klein, Creative + Digital Designer

It’s 2025 and I’m a graphic designer—of course I get asked, “Do you think AI is going to take your job?”

And it’s a fair question. 

AI is everywhere, and the tools are evolving fast.  But every time I hear it, I flash back to high school when I was sweating over my ACT score. I remember sitting at the kitchen table, telling my parents how disappointed I was. My dad looked at me and said, “The ACT doesn’t account for your creativity.” 

That idea has stuck with me. And, honestly, it’s exactly how I feel about AI.

Creation over generation

Don’t get me wrong, I love AI. I use it all the time. It makes some tasks faster, sparks new directions, and even helps me organize the chaos in my head. 

But AI generates. I create.

That difference matters. AI can pull patterns and push pixels, but it doesn’t bring the lived perspective, humor, or weird instincts that come from being human. That’s the stuff you feel when a design really hits—it connects not just because it’s clear, but because it carries a pulse.

For humans by humans

Lately, the work catching my eye isn’t the kind that checks every “best-practice” box. It’s the slightly imperfect logos, the hand-touched illustrations, the layouts with a bit of grit or chaos.

I think some of that hunger for imperfection is a natural reaction to AI’s polish. But it’s also connected to another shift in design: the rise of ADA compliance.

And let me be clear—accessibility is important. It should always be considered. But ADA isn’t required in every situation. It can depend on the client, the audience, and even the piece itself. When applied too rigidly, and without purpose, compliance can steer design toward the overly clean, legible, predictable. And when everything looks the same, work can start blending together.

Which is why I keep circling back to the question, “Where’s the human element in this?”

Balancing compliance + creativity

That’s the tightrope I’m most interested in right now—design that’s inclusive and thoughtful without losing the spark that makes it memorable. 

Compliance doesn’t have to mean cold. Creativity can thrive within limits. 

Sometimes the balance is hard. Sometimes it feels like you have to choose between rules and personality. But I believe the best work lives where the two meet.

Because that’s what sticks. That’s what feels alive. 

Our AI pledge

AI will keep evolving. Accessibility will (and should) keep shaping design. But at the heart of it all, branding is still about connection—and connection comes from people. 

At Red Dot, we’ll keep using AI to work smarter. But NEVER to cut out the human perspective. We’ll keep pushing for accessible, inclusive work that still has edge and character. And we’ll keep asking the harder question: how do we make sure your audience feels your brand, not just sees it? 

That’s the work that lasts. That’s the work worth doing. 

TL;DR

AI generates. We create. And it’s the human layer—the character, the oddness, the imperfect brilliance—that turns smart design into unforgettable brand connection.