What You Need to Know About Printing AI-Generated Designs
Thanks to the power of generative AI, it is now easier and faster than ever to use platforms like Midjourney and ChatGPT to create designs for flyers, posters, invitations, postcards, and other print materials. With the right prompt, you can produce polished, share-ready designs in minutes. However, when it comes time to print, that same design can reveal issues that weren’t obvious on your computer or phone screen.
AI-generated artwork isn’t always print-ready, even if it looks fine on your screen. To help you avoid unexpected printing problems, we’ve outlined what you need to know about AI-generated designs before sending them to print.
AI-Generated Images May Be Too Low Resolution for Printing
A common issue with AI-generated designs is low image resolution. While an image may appear clear when you view it on your device, printing it at a larger scale, such as on a flyer or poster, can cause it to look blurry or pixelated.
Digital images are made up of pixels, so when you plan to print a flyer, poster, or invitation that will be viewed up close, the image needs enough pixel information to stay sharp and clear at its final size. Around 300 PPI (pixels per inch) is a common target for high-quality print materials, although the appropriate resolution can vary depending on the size and how the material will be viewed.
A potential issue with AI-generated images is that they may lack enough pixels for the size you want to print. Simply increasing the image dimensions cannot recreate detail missing from the original file, which can leave you with a design that looks polished on screen but noticeably less clear in print.
AI-Generated Images Do Not Automatically Create Files Ready for the Printer
To make a file “print-ready,” there are several technical requirements to consider so a printer can reproduce the design properly. One issue with using an AI-generated image is that it may not account for these requirements, resulting in print materials with content that is cut off or misaligned because it is too close to the edge.
AI designs don’t always account for bleed
When a design requires an image or background colour to reach the edge of the document, it should extend slightly beyond the final trim area. This extra space is called the bleed, and it gives the printer room to trim the print material and display the design exactly as you want it to appear, without a border.
An AI-generated design may look like it ends exactly where you want the finished piece to end but skip adding the necessary bleed, resulting in an unwanted thin white edge that affects the final look of your print material.
AI designs may push content too close to the margin
Text, logos, phone numbers, QR codes, and other essential elements need to remain within the “safe area” of a file so that they won’t be cut off during printing. The safe area depends on the material you want printed, but it creates enough space between the content and the trim edge. An AI generator may produce a visually appealing design on screen, but not account for how the finished piece will be cut during printing.
Colour profiles on an AI design can appear different on screen vs. in print
Colours can appear differently on your screen than they do when printed. Because your device creates colour using light, while printing reproduces colour using ink or toner, the colour that looks vibrant on your screen may appear different, or sometimes less vivid, once it is printed.
Many AI-generated images are created in RGB colour, which is designed for digital displays. Depending on the printing process, RGB colours may need to be converted to a printable colour space, such as CMYK, which can make certain colours appear differently on the finished piece.
Text Generated On an AI-Generated File Can Include Errors
Depending on the tool and prompt you use, AI generators can add text directly to an image or design. However, it is important to carefully review everything it adds, as there can be spelling mistakes, inaccurate information, or even a slightly altered phone number or URL that can be easily overlooked, especially when they appear on a busy design.
Editing can also be harder when text is generated as part of a single image rather than added as an editable design element. A simple change, such as correcting a typo, may require you to recreate the entire design again.
If you are a business owner, it is also important to review your branded elements on AI design files. Sometimes, AI generators can manipulate the shape, text, and colours of your logo that may not be editable within the generated image, leaving you with print material that doesn’t match your brand. The same applies to QR codes and barcodes, as AI can create something that looks legitimate but without encoding any real information.
Photos on AI Designs Can Become Distorted
AI-generated photos can contain visual distortions that are easy to miss on a small device screen but can become much more noticeable when enlarged for a poster or banner. Take a close look at faces, hands, and other fine details in images of people, as AI generators can sometimes create distorted features or repetitive characteristics.
The Risk of Print Materials Being Unoriginal and Labelled “AI Slop”
If you’ve seen enough AI-generated designs, you’ll likely be able to pick them out quite easily because of the visual patterns many of them share. AI generators can produce similar styles, imagery, layouts, and other decorative elements that can make different designs look surprisingly alike. For a business, this can make it harder to create print materials that feel distinctive and reflect its own branding.
Overuse of AI can also make creative feel generic and artificial, contributing to the growing discussion around “AI slop,” a term often used to describe large amounts of low-effort, repetitive AI-generated content. For business owners, your print materials should be distinct to your brand to help build brand recognition, but if you are producing AI-generated designs, there’s a risk you won’t establish a memorable visual identity. You may even turn off potential customers who think you are cutting corners by using AI instead of investing in design.
AI-Generated Images Can Appear Cluttered Without Visual Hierarchy
Creating effective print materials often requires a design strategy to help viewers easily take in the content. Headlines, images, key details, and calls to action should follow a clear visual hierarchy, guiding the viewer on where to look first and what requires attention.
AI-generated designs can sometimes overlook this structure, resulting in layouts that feel cluttered with excessive (and sometimes unnecessary) decorative elements. Insufficient white space is often the culprit behind a busy design, and it can result in a finished product that doesn’t move the needle because it’s too overwhelming to consume the crucial information.
Check Your File Format and Artwork Before Printing
AI-generated images are typically provided as PNG or JPEG file types, but your print provider may have specific file requirements depending on what you are printing. For example, some projects might need vector artwork, which can be resized without losing quality, making it ideal for logos, signs, or decals that may need to be enlarged.
Also, remember that if a print provider requests PDF files, inserting a low-resolution AI-generated PNG or JPEG into a PDF won’t improve quality or convert it into scalable vector artwork. Before sending your design for printing, make sure that the file format and artwork meet your print provider’s requirements for the best results.
Who Owns an AI-Generated Design?
Business owners who use AI-generated designs should be aware of the ownership rights associated with these creations. Just because you create a design using your own prompts does not automatically mean you own all the rights to it. The rules can vary depending on the AI platform being used, so if you plan to use AI-generated designs for commercial purposes such as advertising, it is important to understand the platform’s terms and any relevant rights they outline.
Before You Send an AI File to Print
Before submitting AI-generated content to a commercial printer, make sure that you:
- Know the final printed size
- Confirm that the images have sufficient resolution
- Check the bleed and safe areas
- Review all text for accuracy
- Test any QR codes you may be using
- Verify the required colour specifications
- Save the file in a format that meets your printer’s requirements
Once you have confirmed these technical elements, take a moment to evaluate the overall design. Consider whether the text is easy to read, the layout clearly conveys the message, and whether any visual elements might be cut off when the printer trims the material, as this could disrupt the entire design.
Print with The UPS Store
At The UPS Store, we offer the printing services you need for your next personal or professional project, including printing flyers, brochures, banners, postcards, posters, and more. Many of our locations also offer graphic design services to help turn your ideas into a print-ready design. Contact The UPS Store at a location near you to get started.