Latent Type is an experimental project that explores artificial intelligence as a tool for creativity within the area of type design. The project was conducted in 2023 with graphic design students at the école supérieure d’art et de design in Amiens, France. Students worked in small groups during a semester and were asked to produce a font along with research that explains their specific concept, the tools used and the method by which they chose to undergo the creation of the font.
Considering recent advancements in artificial intelligence and specifically with tools such as Midjourney, DALL•E and Stable Diffusion, it is clear that artists and designers are faced with an increasingly complex set of issues. Whether it be grasping the technicalities of how to create images with AI, understanding what are its possibilities as its limitations or delving into issues that question authorship, creative provenance and the all essential role of the artist/designer, our intention with Latent Type was to give students the opportunity to engage with this new technology and let them explore for themselves.
This website presents eight student projects. You will find a short description for each along with a series of images and photos that both present their research and the final designed font.