AI (artificial intelligence) tools are changing the way logos are made. They can help people come up with ideas quickly and do boring jobs like changing colours or moving shapes around. But using AI for logos also brings up some tricky problems about rules, fairness, and trust. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Who owns the logo?
Normally, when a person draws something, they own the rights to it. But with AI, it’s not always clear. If you type in prompts to make a logo, you might be the owner—or the company that made the AI tool might be. It depends on the rules of that tool.

Another problem: AI learns by looking at huge numbers of pictures, some of which are copyrighted (meaning they legally belong to someone else). In the UK, using these pictures for private study is allowed, but using them to make money isn’t. So if an AI tool copied a logo it didn’t have permission to use, that could cause legal trouble.

2. Copying other brands
Even if copyright is fine, there’s another law called “trademark.” That’s when a business protects its name or logo so nobody else can use it. Since AI sometimes copies parts of real logos, your new design might accidentally look too much like an existing one. That could confuse customers and cause lawsuits.

3. Who’s responsible if things go wrong?
There have already been court cases about AI “stealing” images to train on. One big case was between Getty Images and Stability AI. This shows that the rules about AI are still new and can change depending on the situation.

4. Is it fair and honest?
AI raises other questions too:

• Bias: AI might show some styles or cultures more than others, which isn’t fair.
• Plagiarism: AI mixes pieces of old designs, so sometimes it can feel like copying.
• Transparency: People should be told if a logo was made by AI instead of a person, otherwise trust could be lost.

5. Fast but not perfect
AI is super quick. It can give you 20 logo ideas in seconds and make easy edits. But it doesn’t have real experience, feelings, or creativity. Human designers spend years learning how to understand brands, people, and cultures. They can see the bigger picture and make a logo that lasts.

Final Thought

AI is a great helper for making logos faster, but it shouldn’t replace human designers. The best results happen when AI does the quick jobs, and humans bring in the creativity, strategy, and understanding of people.

If you use AI:

• Make sure your logo doesn’t copy someone else’s work.
• Read the rules of the tool so you know who owns the design.
• Be honest if AI was used.
• Always add human skill and judgment.

That way, you get logos that are fresh, legal, and meaningful.

References

1. Government of the United Kingdom. (2025). Copyright and Artificial Intelligence – GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/copyright-and-artificial-intelligence GOV.UK ↩
2. The Barrister Group. (2024). AI-Generated Content and Copyright: Evolving Legal Boundaries in English Law. Available at: https://thebarristergroup.co.uk/blog/ai-generated-content-and-copyright-evolving-legal-boundaries-in-english-law thebarristergroup.co.uk ↩
3. Finnegan LLP. (2025). Mind the Copyright: The UK’s AI and Copyright Conundrum. Available at: https://www.finnegan.com/en/insights/articles/mind-the-copyright-the-uks-ai-and-copyright-conundrum.html Finnegan | Leading IP+ Law Firm ↩
4. Marks & Clerk. (2024). Trade Mark Issues Arising from Use of Generative AI. Available at: https://www.marks-clerk.com/insights/latest-insights/102k38m-trade-mark-issues-arising-from-use-of-generative-ai Marks Clerk ↩
5. Associated Press. (2025). “Getty Drops Copyright Allegations in UK Lawsuit Against Stability AI”. AP News. Available at: https://apnews.com/article/7208c729fb10c1f133cb49da2065d72a AP News ↩
6. Kaptur. (2024). “Ethical Issues in AI Graphic Design: Bias, Plagiarism, and Ownership”. Available at: https://kaptur.co/ethical-issues-in-ai-graphic-design-bias-plagiarism-and-ownership/ Kaptur ↩
7. ArtWorkflow HQ. (2024). “AI and Graphic Design: A Combination that Impacts the Future of Design”. Available at: https://www.artworkflowhq.com/resources/ai-and-graphic-design Artwork Flow ↩
8. Shawnee State University. (2025). “Balancing Human Ingenuity and AI with a Graphic Design Degree”. Available at: https://www.shawnee.edu/blog/balancing-human-ingenuity-and-ai-with-graphic-design-degree shawnee.edu ↩