Scrolling through social media is a much different experience now to what it was a couple of years ago.

I’d estimate around one in every five posts that appear on my Facebook timeline feature some use of generative AI, be it in the caption, an image, or video.

Businesses are using it to create flyers and posters, some of which end up on display in the real world.

Clickbait pages are using it to generate videos of fake or impossible things to make a quick buck.

Some politicians are using it to write posts, generate cover photos for their social media and even to write speeches.

Worse still, some folks are using it to make baby and marriage announcements.

If my wife had announced our recent wedding with a Facebook post written by ChatGPT, I’d be having a long, hard think about my choices.

Jokes aside, AI-generated content looks atrocious. The indicative ‘paint streak’ effect, random, semi-relevant slogans and the odd-looking clipart it puts on posters eliminate any remnants of originality from the idea it’s trying to promote and the colour schemes these models use are enough to leave a grim taste in my mouth.

When someone uses AI to create text, it’s obvious. The writing doesn’t flow, it’s littered with em dashes, an overly-polished, unnatural style, and the classic phrase, “it’s not just X, it’s Y”.

Don’t get me started on the more recent trend of eateries using it to create images of food for their menus or to make their logos. Some of the results can only be described as demonic.

As we approach the fourth anniversary of generative AI being made available to the public, I am yet to see any good use for it.

It doesn’t do “cool” things, or create anything of intellectual or artistic value. All it does is eliminate real effort and thought, devalue the genuine craft of graphic design and makes the user look lazy.

I hear the arguments that people make; they don’t have time or money to make something better.

So what did we do two years ago?

People generally just used an online tool like Canva or even Microsoft Publisher to make posters. Find or take a relevant image, put the information you want on the graphic, make sure it’s legible and get it posted. They didn’t always look great, but they worked.

I remember being taught how to make posters and pamphlets using software in primary school. It isn’t difficult, and doesn’t involve the obscene environmental impact and energy use of a massive AI data centre.

What’s changed in the last10 years is that we now have a culture of wanting everything handed to us immediately, and without any thought, effort or patience.

It extends well beyond AI, into food and grocery delivery, digital media like music and films. Even into more mundane things like fast-charging electronics and being able to pay for trivial purchases in instalments.

As a society, we just can’t wait for things anymore.

An ever-growing number of people are now put off products, services and events advertised with AI. If you want or need to make a flyer, just make it the old-fashioned way. I’d much rather see a bad human-made graphic than whatever your LLM of choice has spewed out.

And if you’re a politician, don’t even touch AI unless you want to insult the intelligence of your constituents.

Stop the slop, and make your own graphics.