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Adobe has officially integrated with ChatGPT.

At the same time, Adobe is testing ChatGPT inside of Photoshop, announced a multi year strategic partnership with Runway and has incorporated Google’s Nano Banana AI into Photoshop.

These headlines might sound scary. For years, many creatives believed AI would eliminate the need for graphic designers altogether. Logos, layouts, and campaigns would be generated automatically. The role itself would disappear.

That has not happened…

What we are seeing instead is a shift in responsibility.

Even when AI produces the work, someone still has to decide what the output should be. Someone still defines taste, direction, and intent. Prompts do not write themselves.

Considering Photoshop is now integrated in ChatGPT, Photoshop is testing an AI Assistant, and ChatGPT desktop can control apps on your computer – it won't be long until you’re able to use Adobe apps completely through prompts. No tools necessary.

The practical result is that today’s graphic designers are growing into art directors and creative directors. Less focus on execution, more focus on vision. Less time spent punching tools, more time spent on brand strategy.

In my opinion, AI is not replacing creatives. It is changing where their value sits. Focus your time on learning what makes a great brand, or captivating marketing, rather than learning the pen tool.

All of this said… the Photoshop integration in ChatGPT sucks. I made a whole video testing it out, and it was worst than you can imagine.

The newly formed National Design Studio is attempting to modernize government websites.

The initiative is led by Joe Gebbia (AirBnB co-founder), who is now America’s first Chief Design Officer. His motivation is simple: “why can't the government be more like an Apple Store?”

How it works

The studio is focused on quick wins. High traffic websites that millions of Americans use each month. In an interview with Dezeen, Gebbia explained "it turns out there are roughly 10 websites that, every month, about half the nation visits,"

The redesigns use modern tools like Next.js, Tailwind CSS, and Framer Motion. Visually, they are a clear departure from the historically dull and confusing government web experience.

Here are some of the websites the Nation Design Studio has launched so far:

That said, the rollout has not been perfect.

Some early releases have drawn criticism for poor execution. At one point, users on X were publicly pointing out development mistakes, which were then publicly fixed. Critics argue the sites are poorly coded, bloated, and inefficient. A parody website summed it up bluntly. “Why does this look like someone’s first coding project?”

What do you think? I share this not to debate politics, but to highlight how design is being applied at a national scale. Reply and let me know.

Netflix is set to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, including HBO and HBO Max, for $82.7 billion following a short-lived bidding war with Paramount.

That sentence would have sounded insane ten years ago.

Netflix is no longer competing with Hollywood. It is becoming Hollywood. This past week I heard the Netflix “da bummm” intro play inside an AMC theater before the Stranger Things finale. That moment felt strange in a way that’s hard to explain.

At the same time, audience behavior is changing.

YouTube is TV now, it tops every other media company for TV viewership. Most TVs in America are watching YouTube - not cable, Netflix, or Hulu. Most of YouTube’s viewership comes from TVs, not phones or desktops anymore. The current generation is watching YouTube on TV and TikTok on their phone while previous generations watched Netflix on TV and YouTube on their phone.

The progression looks like this:
Netflix became the new Hollywood.
YouTube became the new Netflix.
TikTok became the new YouTube.

So what’s next?

This week, I launched The Creative Brief’s YouTube channel. This new channel dives deeper into some of the stories shared in this newsletter. Check out the first video where I test the new Photoshop/ChatGPT integration!

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