How AI is changing development and everyday life - creatively at the push of a button?

AI in product development Creative at the touch of a button? As of: November 1, 2026 • 9:00 a.m

Whether in the development of new products, in advertising or in designing your own home: AI has arrived in everyday life. It often saves time, but also raises questions about creativity, jobs and trust.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is developing rapidly and is becoming a natural tool for more and more people and companies. She writes texts, creates images and has long been supporting the development of new products. But how much human creativity is left?

Florist Verena Beck from Niederdorfelden in the Main-Kinzig district is increasingly seeing AI images as templates for bridal bouquets. Customers come to your store with artificially generated images. But what looks perfect on the screen usually cannot be implemented.

A customer, for example, wanted table wreaths with ranunculus for her wedding - but the flowers are not available in the desired shape or color. The AI ​​had designed the arrangement without considering the real possibilities.

MEX: AI in everyday life Anke Heinhaus, HR, Das Erste, October 7th, 2026 • 8:15 p.m. Between inspiration and reality Beck himself doesn't need technology to be creative. She relies on her own imagination and has not yet used any AI applications. But it is becoming more and more the exception.

In a small survey by the business magazine mex from Hessischer Rundfunk on Frankfurt's Zeil shopping street, experiences with artificial intelligence were mixed. While some people use technology to learn languages ​​or study, others use AI to get ideas for redesigning their living spaces.

But many also express concerns. AI can provide false information and must therefore be checked. In addition, some fear that jobs will be lost and human achievements will increasingly be replaced by artificially generated content.

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The cosmetics company Cosnova in Sulzbach, Hesse, shows how diverse the possible uses are. There, AI supports the development of new product ideas. However, the first idea still came from humans, assure the AI ​​representatives at Cosnova, Constanze Stein and Rebecca Schalber. It is then compared with trend and consumer data using an AI assistant.

This makes it possible to assess whether a concept fits the respective target group and the product range. The technology can develop concrete suggestions within a few seconds. Depending on the request, hundreds of image designs are possible, explains Schalber. The product marketing managers then selected the appropriate variants. For a cushion foundation, an AI design was already very close to the desired result. Only the typography had to be adjusted a little, the AI ​​experts enthuse.

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Despite the technical possibilities, artificial intelligence is not neutral, emphasizes Stein. It can reinforce existing stereotypes contained in the training data. In the beauty industry in particular, it is important to address different people and reflect diversity. Cosnova wants to prevent the technology from reinforcing and solidifying existing ideals of beauty. For this reason, the company deliberately avoids using AI-generated faces.

In the fashion and retail industry, however, AI is already being used specifically for advertising and product images. Companies like Mango advertise with artificially created models. Rossmann also says it uses the technology for the packaging of individual own brands. In the packaging of the ISANA Professional Colorations, the models shown were created using AI.

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Discounter giant Aldi also deals transparently with AI in its promotional leaflets, with small hints pointing out that certain image backgrounds are artificially generated. However, when asked whether AI was also used in product design, Aldi remained tight-lipped.

For Kai Hudetz from the Institute for Retail Research (IFH) in Cologne, this development is understandable. AI enables companies to implement processes much faster and more cost-effectively. Complex photo shoots, for which entire teams used to travel abroad, can now be done virtually within a few minutes. At the same time, the results could be better in some cases.

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Artificial intelligence is increasingly playing a role in the development and design of food. However, a sample shows that companies deal with it differently. Ferrero said it does not use AI when designing product packaging. Unilever, on the other hand, also uses generative AI in the product development of Knorr sauces. As a result, the development time for the products has been halved overall, the company explained.

For many companies, AI is becoming an important competitive factor. The technology promises faster processes, lower costs and new possibilities in product development. At the same time, consumer acceptance must be taken into account, warns Hudetz.

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As soon as consumers noticed that AI was involved, they often reacted cautiously, explains the retail researcher. Some find the technology strange. It is therefore becoming increasingly important for companies to provide open information about the use of AI and to build trust.

One thing is certain: artificial intelligence is already changing numerous areas of everyday life and the economy. It can support creative processes and shorten development times. However, responsibility for the results, how to deal with possible errors and the question of where human creativity remains indispensable still lies with people.

This topic in the program: hr television | mex. The market magazine | Oct 7, 2026 | 8:15 p.m