Presentations can make or break ideas, and when the stakes are high, choosing between AI-generated slides and human-designed presentations can be a headache.
AI tools like Prezi, Beautiful.ai, and Canva promise speed and affordability, while human presentation designers bring storytelling, strategic thinking, and emotional depth to a deck.
So, how do you decide which one’s right for you?
The truth is, AI and human presentation designers both have their place, but we’ll not leave you at that thought, so let’s break it down through a few points that you think of when you want to get a presentation made.
How fast do you need it?
AI tools are like instant coffee for slides. They’re quick and convenient in getting the job done. When you’re on a tight deadline, AI-powered presentation design platforms can create professional-looking slides in minutes. However, while AI can churn out a polished deck fast, it often lacks originality. The slides might look clean, but they tend to have a templated feel.
That’s where a human presentation designer has its pros. A human presentation designer might take more time to put together your deck, but they will help you create an experience, making sure that every slide of your presentation serves a purpose, reflects your brand, and connects with your audience. Good design and storytelling needs time to develop. But when the goal is to make an impact rather than just fill slides, the extra time is worth it.
Our verdict- If you just need a quick, functional deck with no frills, AI is your go-to. But if you’re presenting an investor deck to investors, sales decks to clients, or a presentation to a high-stakes audience, a human touch will make all the difference.
How much are you willing to spend?
AI tools like Beautiful.ai, Prezi and Visme offer free or low-cost plans, making them great for those who don’t have a budget for a human presentation designer. Instead of paying for custom design, you get a deck at a fraction of the cost. With less cost, comes the disadvantage of limited customisation. You can change colors and fonts, but true brand personality is hard to capture for an AI tool. If your brand identity matters (and it should), AI might not be enough.
In such a case, a human presentation designer might charge you more than any AI tool, but for a deck that is completely aligned with your brand, voice, goals and story, investing in a well-designed deck can pay off in ways AI simply can’t.
Our Verdict- AI is great for those who need a low-cost option, but for high-stakes presentations, human expertise is worth the investment.
How engaging do you want your deck to be?
AI keeps fonts, colors, and layouts consistent across slides, keeping it all neat.
As a matter of fact, AI can organise slides, but it doesn’t understand human cognition that would engage a human audience like a human itself. It won’t know when to add a connecting slide for impact. AI decks often feel flat, lacking the emotional pull that keeps audiences engaged.
However, Humans understand nuance, humor, and persuasion. A human-designed presentation can turn make your audience care about what you’re saying.
Unlike AI, humans presentation designer might tweak designs based on context rather than rigid rules. This might mean not as consistent looking layouts, but those creative tweaks often make the deck feel more easy to understand and relatable.
Our Verdict- If you want slides that look good and well-put AI is fine. But if you want more than just that, and want your slides to connect with humans, a human presentation designer is the perfect match for you.
How creative and strategic do you want to get with your presentation?
Some AI tools suggest images, icons, or even text based on your topic. This can be helpful for structuring a presentation quickly. However, AI doesn’t think like a human, it follows patterns. It won’t adapt based on audience, or adjust tone for different stakeholders.
With regard to this, A human presentation designer considers who you’re presenting to and what will resonate with them. They brainstorm a lot of strategies to present your information, all while making sure that their creativity is tailored to fit your requirements and the audience. You might need to work with your designer, provide input, and give feedback, but that collaboration helps that presentation really works for you.
Our Verdict- AI can help organise information in a presentation, but a human presentation designer can create a presentation that’s strategically designed for your specific audience and goal.
AI Has Its Place, But Humans Know How To Make An Impression
AI sticks to safe layouts, so you can’t expect something groundbreaking. However, it’s safe to say that you’ll get a foundational design. As for humans, they take creative risks. And when preferences are communicated right, a human presentation designer can balance creativity with professionalism.
So choosing one between the two really depends on ‘what’s your move?’- Speed or strategy? Templates or storytelling? A quick fix or real impact?
For more insights, tips and tricks about ‘all things presentations’, check out more from the Crappy presentations blog.
If a human presentation designer matches your current requirement, being on the Crappy Presentations website might just be a sign to talk to us about your project!
We’re a presentation design firm having a team of strategic thinkers and designers that can help you with your presentation needs. Be it an investor deck, sales deck, corporate presentation or event presentation- we do it all!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does AI-generated content in presentations require human editing to be effective?
Yes. While AI can generate slides quickly, the content often lacks depth, context, and strategic messaging. Human intervention is necessary to refine language, adjust tone, and ensure the presentation aligns with the intended goal and audience.
2. How can a business decide whether to use AI or hire a human presentation designer?
It depends on the presentation's purpose. If it's a routine internal meeting or a data report, AI can be a time-saving option. However, for high-stakes presentations like investor pitch deck, or sales decks, a human presentation designer is a more appropriate choice.
3. What are the biggest limitations of AI presentation tools that users should be aware of?
Originality- Most designs look generic and template-based.
Context understanding- AI doesn’t fully grasp subtle messaging nuances.
Visual storytelling- AI arranges slides logically but lacks creative storytelling elements.
Flexibility- AI-generated slides may require manual adjustments to align with business needs.
4. If AI can generate slides instantly, why do businesses still invest in human presentation designers?
Speed alone doesn’t make a presentation effective. Human presentation designers bring creativity, persuasion techniques, and strategic messaging that AI cannot replicate. Businesses that value impactful storytelling and brand consistency still prefer human expertise over automation.
5. How does AI handle complex data visualization compared to human designers?
AI presentation tools can automatically generate charts and graphs, but they don’t always highlight the key insights effectively. Human presentation designers strategically present data, ensuring clarity, emphasising on important takeaways.
6. Can AI presentations be improved enough to match human presentation designers in creativity?
AI is advancing, but AI’s work is limited to the prompt, and it’s difficult to expect human creativity out of a prompted response. It also requires more effort in editing the prompts and also takes more time than providing inputs to a human presentation designer.
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