From the caves of Lascaux to the Bauhaus studios, from Renaissance workshops to modern design systems, artists and designers have always relied on tools to expand their imagination. Charcoal, perspective grids, the camera, the computer - each of these tools transformed the way ideas were created, gradually becoming invisible as they were absorbed into the act of making.

Today, artificial intelligence joins that tradition.

Not as a replacement for creativity, but as its catalyst. It is a mirror that reflects unexpected ideas, a tireless collaborator, a sketchbook that responds. When used well, AI doesn’t just provide answer - it opens doors. It accelerates exploration, broadens visual references, and frees up mental space for what is genuinely human: critical thinking, taste, and intention.

With this in mind, we share in this article five AI tools that are shaping creative workflows, and where designers can begin to explore - from a blank page to the final product.

1. Figma (with AI features): The creative command center

For many, Figma remains the backbone of interface and product design, and its AI features are turning it into a true creative co-pilot.

With AI, designers can now:

• Generate layouts and components from natural-language prompts;
• Speed up wireframe creation;
• Automatically refine spacing, hierarchy, and structure.

Rather than dictating aesthetics, Figma’s AI helps designers move past repetitive tasks more quickly, freeing time for decisions that truly matter.

Best for: UI/UX designers, product teams, collaborative design systems.

2. Midjourney: The digital muse

If Figma is structure, Midjourney is intuition.

It excels at generating rich, unexpected imagery—perfect for mood boards, visual exploration, and early-stage conceptualization. Much like travel sketchbooks for painters, many designers use Midjourney not as a final output, but as a window into new perspectives.

Midjourney’s strength lies in:

• A distinctive stylistic identity;
• High-impact visual concepts;
• Rapid exploration of multiple creative directions.

Best for: concept art, branding inspiration, visual research.

3. Leonardo.AI: High-precision creativity

Leonardo.AI brings advanced AI into image creation and concept art, allowing ideas to be transformed into detailed, visually consistent assets.

Key features include:

• Highly customizable illustration and texture generation;
• Exploration of diverse styles and fine-grained detail refinement;
• Tools that bridge the gap between quick concepts and production-ready images.

Best for: designers looking to create concept art, illustrations, or brand assets with a high level of creative control.

4. Canva Magic Studio: Speed and simplicity

Canva’s AI tools make design faster and more accessible to everyone.

Magic Studio allows users to:

• Generate layouts, presentations, social media posts, and videos from prompts;
• Quickly adapt designs to multiple formats;
• Maintain brand consistency with minimal effort.

While it may not be the best choice for deeply detailed or conceptual work, Canva proves incredibly effective when volume is high and deadlines are tight.

5. Runway: Design in motion

As visual culture becomes increasingly dynamic, Runway fills the gap between static design and moving image.

It offers:

• AI-assisted video editing;
• Text-to-video and image-to-motion tools;
• Advanced effects previously reserved for large-scale productions.

 Runway allows designers to explore motion with the same freedom as sketching — lightweight and without friction.

Best for: motion designers, content creators, brand storytelling.

AI expands creativity — it does not replace it. It does not take the place of intuition, cultural awareness, or critical thinking, but it transforms the way ideas are explored, much like perspective transformed painting or grids shaped graphic design.

It compresses time, multiplies possibilities, and invites designers to become curators rather than mere executors.

The true creative act remains intact: knowing how to distinguish what is essential from what is not.