AI is everywhere right now. I expected it to immediately take over email writing, sure, maybe even people’s “thought-provoking” LinkedIn posts (we all know that person who, out of nowhere, started using em dashes the right way). Still, I didn’t expect it to make such a fast entrance into packaging design. 

I’ll admit, I was wrong. Even more surprising is how some brands are pushing back, intentionally or not, by leaning into consumer-driven creativity instead. Rather than farming out the work to AI, they’re inviting people to pick up a paintbrush, fill in the blanks, and customize their labels. It’s subtle, but it’s a strong response to the sweeping effects of generative AI.