In a world where AI is rapidly standardising creative output, the designer Jessica Walsh argues that typography remains one of the last areas where human skill truly matters. Branding today often relies on predictable, safe fonts that lack distinctiveness, making many brands feel indistinguishable from one another.
While classic brands like Coca-Cola, Nike, and Disney used type with real character to express emotion and identity, the industry has increasingly favoured neutral, mass-market typefaces that prioritise practicality over personality.
AI tools can help brainstorm letterforms, but genuine type design — balancing optical harmony, rhythm and voice — still demands human expertise. Walsh suggests that as AI makes visuals more homogeneous and deepfakes blur authenticity, custom or thoughtfully chosen typography will stand out as a signal of human craft, helping brands feel uniquely human and intentional.
read the article by Jessica Walsh here