The False Economy of AI Logos

You need a logo. You need it fast. And thanks to tools like Canva Magic, Adobe Firefly or even ChatGPT, you can have one in seconds. Easy, right?

Hmmm, not quite.

AI has a lot going for it… but when it comes to design, we’ve seen too many businesses fall into the “AI ease” trap. The result is a logo that looks passable at a glance, but doesn’t hold up in the real world – whether that’s on a flyer, in a legal dispute, or when your brand tries to grow.

Here’s what you really need to know before you trust AI to design your logo.

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The Telltale Signs of an AI-Generated Logo

AI image generation is already lightyears ahead of those weird hands and uncanny-valley faces we were seeing all over Facebook in 2023, but when it comes to good branding, AI still isn’t cutting it.

AI-generated logos are easy to spot – and I don’t mean that in a good way. They often look generic, unpolished, or just... off. Here’s what typically gives them away:

· Pixelated edges: Most AI tools export raster files like JPGs or PNGs. These can’t be resized cleanly, so they’ll appear blurry or blocky on larger formats like signage or packaging.

· Blurry, muddled areas: AI sometimes struggles to render clear connections between shapes, creating fuzzy joins or strange overlaps.

· Inconsistent lines and curves: You’ll often find crooked lines, awkward spacing, or uneven corners – all details that scream “AI-generated.”

· Lack of originality: Because AI remixes what it’s already seen, your “unique” logo may end up resembling a dozen others. Not ideal for standing out (or for staying out of legal trouble!).

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AI in Action

I ran a little experiment using a few different AI image generation tools. The prompt was the same every time: “Create a logo for PDC, a digital marketing agency, using bold elements and cyan/black/grey colours.”

The results? Not great...

What really stood out to me wasn’t just that the logos were underwhelming, it was how identical they all looked, even when generated on completely different platforms.

At a glance, you could be fooled into thinking lots of these came from the same designer, or even the same tool. But they didn’t. This eerie uniformity made something very clear: while these tools sure can quickly output designs, they don’t create in the way human designers do.

That’s because AI image generators don’t design from scratch. They work by analysing huge datasets of existing images (logos, icons, fonts), and then combining or remixing those elements in a way that statistically fits your prompt. The result is often something that mimics popular design styles, but lacks originality, intention, or deeper meaning.

In contrast, if you gave the same brief to five different human designers, you’d get five completely different approaches – each shaped by the designer’s thinking, experience, taste, and interpretation of your brand. That diversity of thought is where true creativity lives (and stops every damn logo looking the same!).

So, while AI tools might be able to assemble pixels that look like logos, they fall short on delivering the things that matter most: uniqueness, context, and strategy.

Needless to say, we’ll be sticking with our current (human-made!) brand for now.

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Creativity Can’t Be Programmed

In the same sense that AI can’t truly create, it also doesn’t truly understand your business goals. Sure, AI can follow instructions and remix existing styles. But it can’t think critically, feel inspired, or tell your brand story with intention.

Working with a designer means injecting real meaning into your brand; building a visual identity that feels right, makes sense, and lasts.

Here’s what Cath, our Lead Graphic Designer, has to say about her logo & branding process:

"From day one, I’m building a full suite of brand assets that will actually work in the real world, whether that’s on a business card, a website, or the side of your building. I often visit the signwriters and printers with Pantone swatches in hand to make sure everything’s spot on. AI can’t care like that. It doesn’t sit down with you. It doesn’t think ahead. And it definitely doesn’t take your logo to the print shop to make sure the colour’s right."

Graphic designers bring experience, insight, and intuition to the process. They don’t just take your brief at face value, like AI does a prompt. Designers dig deeper through conversations, discovery sessions, and collaboration. They ask questions and explore what makes your business tick: your values, your industry, your ambitions – all reflected in your branding.

And the result is a logo that’s built on purpose, and a full brand suite that’s ready for real world applications. Every element is intentional, with clear rationale behind every choice. It’s tailored to your story, your market, and the real-world environments your brand needs to show up in.

Unfortunately, AI can’t do that. It doesn’t understand your local context, industry nuances, or the subtle ways your brand might need to flex in future: from packaging to social media to uniforms and signage.

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Legal Headaches You Don’t Want

Bringing it back to that disconcerting uniformity of those AI-generated PDC logos, one of the biggest risks with AI-generated logos is copyright breach & ownership.

In many countries, logos must be created by a human to qualify for copyright or trademark protection. That means:

• You may not legally own your AI-generated logo.

• You might not be able to trademark it.

• Your design could unintentionally include copyrighted elements pulled from someone else’s work.

All of these add up to one thing: serious risk.
If your logo is at the heart of your business, why base it on something you can’t fully control?

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You Get What You (Don’t) Pay For

Sure, an AI logo can be free or cheap. But it comes with hidden costs.

• No vector files? You can’t scale or edit the logo properly, and designers will charge you more to recreate them as a vector file.

• No logo variations? You’ll struggle to apply your brand consistently across different applications, like printing flyers or signage.

• No design/brand guidelines? You’ll be stuck making ad hoc decisions about fonts, colours, and layouts, ultimately resulting in brand assets that lack cohesion.

Your brand needs a toolkit to operate in the real world: logos in multiple formats and sizes, clear brand guidelines, and the flexibility to adapt your brand as your business evolves. When you work with a professional designer or agency, you’re getting a lot more than a logo PNG.

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Design is a Relationship, Not a Transaction

Good design is a conversation. You bring your goals and ideas, we bring creativity, skill and strategic thinking. Together, we shape something better than either of us could do alone.

We don’t just send you a logo and disappear. Instead we revise, refine, and build a full brand identity that works in the real world. Need it resized for a truck wrap? Done. Want a version that pops on a dark background? Sorted. Want a whole brand refresh a year later? We’ve got the files, the fonts, and the knowledge to grow with you.

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It’s More Than a Logo – It’s Your Brand

Your logo is the face of your business. But it’s just one part of a larger system: typography, colour, imagery, voice, and more. At PDC, we create brand identities that work together, not in isolation.

We consider where your logo will live, how it’ll look in motion, how it fits with your messaging and how it will grow with your business. AI can’t zoom out like that. It can’t think strategically. And it definitely can’t anticipate your needs six months or six years from now.

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AI Has a Place in Your Business, Just Not at the Centre of Your Brand

Don’t get me wrong, we’re not anti-AI. Used wisely, AI tools can help brainstorm visual styles or spark early ideas. But handing your brand identity over to an algorithm is risky, limiting, and will be more expensive in the long run.

If you care about your business, it’s worth investing in branding that actually represents who you are and that’s built to last.

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Ready to create a logo that’s more than just a grainy JPG?

Let’s build a brand identity you can own, protect, and proudly grow with.