Developers, financial analysts, data entry operators, journalists… Many professions seem destined to transform or disappear with the arrival of AI. And the creative, graphic and design professions are also impacted.
A recent study analyzing more than 5,500 creative job offers published on the Internet in January 2026 in France, reveals the new expectations of employers regarding artificial intelligence (AI) and the skills of graphic designers, designers… And creative professionals.
The results of Adobe’s study indicate that employers are no longer looking for general knowledge of AI. They now specify the specific skills, tools and platforms that creatives must master. This change marks a transformation in the definition and execution of creative work within the sector.
The 5 most sought-after AI skills in creative professions
A majority of creative job postings, 84%, require at least one AI-related skill. Automation is the most in-demand AI skill, mentioned in 27% of creative job postings: such as automating repetitive creative tasks such as resizing photos, speeding up exports when rendering images creations.
- Automatisation : 27 % des annonces
- IA générative : 25 % des annonces
- Travail créatif alimenté par l’IA : 4 %
- Linguistic models (LLM) : 4 %
- Prompt engineering : 3 %
Generative AI is present in 25% of creative positions: for the creation of first drafts of visuals, texts, concepts and ideas…
Responsible AI is starting to feature in job requirements, at 2%, reflecting employers’ initial expectations regarding the ethical use of AI.
The most cited AI tools in creative job offers
Among AI tools, Gemini is mentioned in 23% of AI-related announcements, placing it as the most frequently mentioned AI tool. ChatGPT appears in 13% of creative job postings citing AI tools, reflecting interest in helping with AI-assisted idea creation, writing, and content production.
- Gemini: 23%
- Canva : 20 %
- ChatGPTÂ : 13Â %
- Claude : 9 %
- Midjourney : 6 %
- Mistral AIÂ : 5Â %
Canva, which is not a tool known to the general public for AI, has become a reference for creation including inspiration and production tools.
Does AI help designers become more creative or productive?
These results mark an important development for careers in the creative field. AI skills, which were previously considered an advantage, are increasingly being specified as a core requirement in job descriptions.
While graphic designers or creative professionals operate at the crossroads of artistic expression and performance requirements, employers integrating more AI into creative processes are now looking for candidates capable of harmonizing human imagination and the capabilities of AI tools. But as in any sector faced with the danger of AI: ultimately be careful not to become a simple assistant performer of AI but quite the opposite, an engine of creative ideas aided by AI.
