It Looks Great… But We Can Still Tell It’s AI
By Lybbi Hebel, Creative Marketing Strategist
One side of TikTok I often find myself on is where graphic designers talk about client interactions and how they must defend their value. They play out scenarios where they explain why they charge what they charge, the parameters they put in place around things like the scope of work and the number of changes allowed in the quote provided, why they will occasionally raise their rates, and why, no, you cannot use AI to completely replace them.
Sound familiar, travel advisors?
I don’t remember who said this, but one of these videos had one of my favorite quotes about AI I’ve heard so far. After the “client” tells him that using AI to create logos is more efficient, he responds, “Yes, it’s also more efficient to just fall down the stairs instead of walk.”
More and more businesses are relying on AI-generated assets for their business, and we’ve gotten to the point where they’ve made it beyond being shared digitally and are being printed on billboards, menus, flyers, etc. I’m not saying they’re all bad – I remember the days before the term “AI slop” was thrown around and we were all pretty impressed by what ChatGPT could create with a little instruction. But whether they are done well or not, the reality is that they are all kind of the same.
Earlier this year I wrote about pattern recognition in AI writing, and you can find the same visual patterns in AI graphics. The same few fonts are used over and over, random icons are always added to bullet points, floating lines of information are either irrelevant or just reiterate info shared elsewhere, and so on. The artwork also has a general, hard-to-articulate sheen that screams “computer-generated.”
Quick sidebar – To clarify, I’m not talking about the cute, trending images that people create to share on their personal page where it turns you into a poster or a doll or whatever. When it’s obvious AI used for fun (and it happens to tie in with your travel business), knock yourself out! I’m specifically referring to designs that are used to represent your business – think storefront assets that may be the first thing a new prospect sees about you.
I understand that graphic design is two things: difficult to DIY (unless you were born with that skill built into your base model) and expensive to outsource. But the thing to keep in mind isn't how nice the AI output looks; it's what using these images does to your brand. When it’s obviously AI, it signals to clients that you are taking a shortcut, which doesn't align with a luxury, service-based business.
It can also create a sense of distrust when all your imagery is artificially generated. I don’t know if your city has the same food truck culture as we do here in Charlotte, but in the Hebel household, we are regularly going through our list of breweries to see what food options are available for dinner. It’s no secret that most of these food trucks have an iPhone as a marketing department, but I will always choose one with a crappy website and poorly lit photos of the food over AI graphics, because I know that what I see is what I will actually get. Imperfect but genuine wins over artificially flawless every time.
Taking it back to our industry, what’s stopping anyone from going online, claiming to be a luxury travel advisor, then adding fake headshots and travel photos to back it up? There’s already a low barrier to entry in this business, and luxury travel advisors must find ways to defend their value and stand out from all the hobbyists who offer deals and steals. Using the same type of AI graphics certainly won't help our cause.
That said, I understand it’s not realistic for many travel entrepreneurs to constantly outsource or have someone on staff for graphic design. And I understand that many of these AI tools can produce excellent output that looks elevated and on brand. I am not saying you should never use AI for design work, but instead, use it as a resource. Collaborate with it, make sure it understands your brand, and take the time to give feedback and fine-tune the output before just releasing it into the wild. It’s just like with Canva templates – you can tell when someone just grabbed one and filled everything in without changing the fonts/colors/images to match their brand.
You wouldn’t hire a graphic designer to make something and then post it without feedback and edits. Talk back to your AI designer in the same way, use a tool like Canva to polish your graphics and make sure they match your brand, and above all, never use AI to create your logo or any foundational aspects of your brand. Pretty please, I'm begging you, leave that part to the professionals.
FAQs:
Can I use AI to design a business logo?
Generally, no. A logo is a foundational part of a brand, and AI-generated logos tend to look generic and similar to others made with the same tools. In the U.S., designs created entirely by AI may also not qualify for copyright protection, which can make it harder to protect the mark later. A professional designer is the better investment for a logo and core brand identity.
Is it okay to use AI-generated images of destinations in travel marketing?
It can be risky. AI-generated destination images often show places that look idealized or don't exist exactly as pictured, which can set expectations the real trip can't meet. For a travel business, accurate imagery matters because clients are making decisions based on what they see. Real photography, whether your own, from a partner, or licensed, is the safer choice for anything representing an actual hotel, ship, or destination.
Do you have to disclose AI-generated images on social media?
Some platforms, including Meta and TikTok, label or require labels on realistic AI-generated content, and their policies continue to evolve. Even when disclosure isn't required, being transparent about AI use in marketing helps protect trust, particularly when images depict real people, places, or results. It's worth reviewing each platform's current guidelines before posting.