Hey Studio is a creative agency based in Barcelona. It works on creative strategies and visual languages for clients like Lufthansa and Google, as well as local restaurants and bakeries. Here, founder and creative directress Verònica Fuerte shares how they are working with AI.
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Broadly speaking, are you excited for how AI will change the design industry, or nervous?
Right now I feel like I’m somewhere between paradise and hell. On one side, it’s a beautiful moment because AI pushes me to be better, faster, and even a stronger designer.
But I also know that in the future it will change the way we work, not only in design but in everything. That’s why I think it’s important to be aware of it now, so you can redirect yourself and adapt.
Do you have an agreed policy around AI as a business? If so, how did you create it?
For now, we only use AI for prototypes, not for final deliverables. And we do have something written into our contracts – we don’t accept briefs from clients that come with AI-generated art direction. That’s our way of making sure the work we do remains original and aligned with our standards.
When did you realise AI was going to have an impact on design?
About a month after ChatGPT launched. I realised it wasn’t just going to impact design, but life itself.
I honestly think the idea of “having a job” as we know it today will disappear. We won’t be working 9 to 5 anymore. In five or ten years, work won’t look like this, maybe it will be more about circles, communities, volunteering.
I don’t know exactly what form it will take, but I do believe we won’t be going to “a job” in exchange for a salary in the way we do now.
Have you undergone any AI training, either as a studio or individuals?
No, we haven’t done any official courses. I believe the best way is self-training, following your own curiosity and learning by doing. What we do, both myself and the team, is dedicate work time to exploring tools.
We actually set aside a morning called Hey Lab every Thursday, where we all experiment together with different AI programmes and create imaginary projects. That way we learn which tools are best for what.
It’s not formal training, it’s more like self-discovery. And I think it’s important – if you don’t know what AI is capable of, you won’t see the possibilities.
How do you use AI in the studio’s creative process? What is it good for? Where are its shortcomings?
We mainly use it to prototype ideas we already have. Sometimes also for illustration, things like trying out different lights, textures, or finishes, just to explore a bit further.
It’s good for opening up options and making the process faster. And honestly, I think in the future we’ll end up designing through a chatbox window. That’s how I imagine design will happen in many years from now.
Do you think clients care if/how you use AI in your work?
So far, in our experience, no. None of our clients have asked us to use AI or questioned if we do.
Sometimes in new business we’ve seen things made with AI, but not in actual projects. I think AI is just another process, sometimes you work analogue, sometimes digital, sometimes with AI.
In the end, it’s about choosing the best process for the project, no matter what technique you use.
Do you use AI for any non-creative aspects of running your business? If so what, and how does it help?
es, I use it quite a lot. Not only for design-related tasks, but also more like having a “coach.” I already have a coach, but sometimes I ask AI specific questions when I have doubts, or for strategies I would normally have to research myself.
It helps me a lot, even with very concrete business questions like, “What would you do in this situation?” I find it really useful for thinking through business strategies and decisions.
Beyond the best known tools (like ChatGPT) what is one AI tool that you would recommend to other design studios?
Honestly, I think almost every app I use today already has AI built in. I use Notion with AI, Google Gemini, so in a way I feel like I use AI everywhere because it really helps me work faster.
But if I had to choose one type of tool, I’d say transcription apps. I love any AI app that transcribes conversations or meetings, because it’s been so helpful to have everything written down. And I also think it protects you if there’s ever a problem – having things documented makes everything much clearer.