The AI Poster Epidemic is Here

You know the flyer I'm talking about.

The overly sectioned-off space, food that looks almost real, and the overly detailed background. Whether you realize it or not, you've probably seen at least 5 of these flyers on social media...this week.

Welcome to the AI poster epidemic that's causing businesses worldwide to be overlooked by potential customers.

(It's this; this is the horrible AI flyer in question.)

Now, let's get something straight: I am NOT a total AI hater. I actually think AI can be quite helpful as a designer. It can be used for comparisons, speeding up research, and quickly exploring different creative directions.

BUT, there is a massive difference between using AI as a tool and letting it dictate your entire creative direction. Lately, I think businesses are starting to forget the distinction.

It Didn't Start Out That Bad

When AI image generation became a thing, it was new and exciting. Everyone wanted to try it out. And I can totally understand the appeal.

Not every small business can afford a designer to make their flyers. Sometimes you need a flyer tomorrow and don't have time to spend hours learning how to use fancy design software. AI seems like the answer.

And the posters that AI creates are not half bad (besides the occasional sixth finger on a person). The problem is that everyone started using the same tool in the same way. And now we are seeing the same visuals everywhere.

They Can Be Spotted From a Mile Away

It doesn't take a professional designer to know when something has been made with AI. They may not know why they can tell, but people know when something feels fake. And they will only get better at distinguishing what's real and what's not.

This becomes a HUGE problem for businesses. Because when I look at a flyer, I don't want it to feel like it was manufactured by a machine. I want it to feel human.

Instead, we are getting flyers that look like they were designed from the same five prompts. And when everything is designed to stand out, nothing stands out.

Your Flyers Are Part of Your Brand

If you're a business owner, this matters more than you might think. Flyers are an important part of how people experience your business. They are a part of your brand.

A flyer could be your first touchpoint with a potential customer. Why make that first impression feel generic?

There are free design programs that are user-friendly and have templates that you can build off of (Canva, Adobe Express, etc.). I'm not suggesting you spend hours creating each and every event flyer—that's unrealistic for a small business.

But your audience deserves better than another glowing 3D object floating in space.