What Is Ethical AI Use?

Ethical AI use in design means using AI tools in ways that are transparent, responsible, and maintain the integrity of your creative practice.

It's not about avoiding AI—it's about using it thoughtfully.

The Five Principles

1. Transparency

Disclose when and how you use AI

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Good practice:

"I used Midjourney to generate initial mood board explorations, then refined them manually and developed the final design system by hand."

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Problematic:

Submitting AI-generated work without disclosure, implying it's entirely your own creation.

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Why it matters: Clients, instructors, and collaborators deserve to know the tools and processes behind your work.

2. Attribution

Respect the labor and creativity that trained the AI

AI models are trained on:

• Artists' work (often without consent or compensation)
• Designers' portfolios
• Photographers' images
• Writers' texts

What you can do:

• Acknowledge that AI tools are trained on existing creative work