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🇬🇧 UKSOC 2142· Science, Research, Engineering and Technology Professionals

Graphic and multimedia designers

Graphic and multimedia designers use illustrative, sound, visual and multimedia techniques to convey a message for information, entertainment, advertising, promotion or publicity purposes, and create special visual effects, 3D models and animations for computer games, film, interactive and other media.

3D artistAnimator (computing/IT)Compositor (special effects)Creative design assistantGraphic artistGraphic designerVisual effects supervisor
£31,236
median salary
£25,778 – £37,485
130,800
currently employed
120,311
projected 2035
Strong growth
6 tasks scored4 AI Assists2 Human-Led

Task Bundle Breakdown

How AI interacts with this occupation's task bundle

67%
33%
0%
AI automates
67%
AI assists
33%
Human-led

Task-by-Task Breakdown

Every task scored individually — sorted highest to lowest AI exposure

67

prepares sketches, scale drawings, models, colour schemes and other mock-ups to show clients and discusses any required alterations

AI Assists

Generative AI tools like Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, and DALL-E can rapidly produce concept sketches, colour palette explorations, and mood boards, significantly speeding up ideation while humans refine and present the work.

56

undertakes research into project, considers previous related projects and compares costs of using different processes

AI Assists

AI tools like Perplexity or ChatGPT can accelerate desk research and competitive analysis, while tools like Adobe Firefly can surface visual references, though synthesising insights into creative direction still requires human expertise.

56

prepares specification and instructions for realisation of the project

AI Assists

AI writing assistants like ChatGPT or Copilot can help draft technical specifications and production instructions, but the designer's knowledge of specific workflows, tools, and quality standards is essential to validate accuracy.

56

produces or oversees creation of the final product

AI Assists

AI tools like Adobe Sensei, Runway ML, and Firefly can automate repetitive production tasks such as image masking, upscaling, and animation interpolation, but creative oversight, quality control, and final artistic decisions remain human-led.

33

liaises with client to clarify aims of project brief, discusses media, software and technology to be used, establishes timetable for project and defines budgetary constraints

Human-Led

AI can help draft meeting notes or summarise briefs via tools like Otter.ai, but the nuanced negotiation, relationship-building, and creative interpretation of client needs requires human judgment and communication skills.

33

liaises with other parts of the production team to ensure graphic design fits with other elements, processes and timescales

Human-Led

AI project management tools like Notion AI can assist with scheduling and communication summaries, but coordinating across teams, managing creative conflicts, and aligning on vision requires human interpersonal skills.

ROI Calculator

Graphic and multimedia designers

10.6hrs
saved per week
510hrs
per year ≈ 13.6 weeks
£8,850
salary-equivalent capacity freed per year

This is not a pay rise — it's 510 hours of productive capacity that AI could return to you, valued at your current rate.

£20,824
value at risk — 67% of role exposed to AI

The portion of your current salary tied to tasks AI can automate or augment. Not a prediction of job loss — a signal of where your role is changing fastest.

How is this calculated?▾

Task weights — each task is weighted by its O*NET frequency rating. Where frequency data is absent, equal weighting is applied.

AI time reduction — tasks scored as "AI Automates" assume 80% time saving; "AI Assists" assumes 40%; "Human-Led" assumes 5%.

Salary equivalent — annual hours saved × (salary ÷ 1,800 working hours/year).

Value at risk — salary × share of role time in AI-automate or AI-assist tasks.

Figures are indicative estimates for planning purposes, not guarantees of productivity gain or job loss risk.