I recently came across a post on Threads.net by Marc Posch that got my attention:

View on Threads

“The end of Graphic Design. It’s here. Don’t hate me but let me explain: Graphic Design was and is an art form, but it got diluted and devalued for many reasons. Up until the 90s Graphic Designers were heroes. Remember Chip Kidd or David Carson? Then came technology that allowed everybody with a pulse to become a designer too. So where are we today? Selling logos for $5 on Fiverr? F&% no.”

It sparked a firestorm of responses. Some agreed, some pushed back hard. One comment hit particularly deep:

“Graphic design isn’t art, and it never was. Art is one thing, design is another, different, thing.”

And that’s exactly where the conversation needs to go.

Graphic Design vs. Art: Stop Confusing Them

Graphic design is not art. It never was.

Art is personal, it’s the expression of the human soul. It’s a journey, not a job. Artists don’t clock in and out. They don’t have work weeks, they have lifetimes of exploration. A painter doesn’t care about client revisions.

A sculptor doesn’t worry about brand guidelines.

Graphic design is different. It is commercial, strategic, and most importantly functional. It exists to communicate, persuade, and solve problems. It’s not about the designer’s personal expression. It’s about creating something that works for an audience.

And here’s the hard truth: AI will replace a lot of what designers do. The production work. The templates. The stuff that doesn’t require deep thought or creativity.

But AI will never replace the artist’s journey, the emotional connection, the meaning behind the work, the intangible essence that makes something human. That’s what people will always pay for.

Fiverr Isn’t the Problem, Your Mindset Is

The real frustration behind Posch’s post isn’t that graphic design is dead. It’s that too many designers feel devalued. That’s not because of Fiverr or AI, it’s because many designers don’t know how to position themselves as valuable.

One comment in response nailed it:

“So you need to learn how to sell, is what I’m hearing. It’s part of all design business and not one taught in design school, so I get it. But learning to sell is your problem, not Fiverr.”

Exactly.

Chip Kidd and David Carson didn’t become icons because they just made cool layouts. They built reputations. They told stories. They understood the power of perception.

And that’s where too many designers are playing small. They’ve been conditioned to think they’re just service providers when, in reality, creatives hold the keys to shaping perception, influencing decisions, and driving culture.

Graphic Design Isn’t Dead

No, graphic design isn’t over. It’s evolving. The question isn’t whether the industry has a future, it does.

The question is whether you will adapt to it.

If you’re waiting for the world to hand you respect, if you’re stuck in a cycle of undervaluing your work, if you think clients should just “get it” without you learning how to sell, then yeah… graphic design might be dead for you.

But for those who embrace the shift, who understand the power of creativity beyond just making things “look good,” who know how to sell the real value of their work, there’s never been a better time to be a designer.

So, what are you going to do?