Interview with Martin Leblanc Head of Experience at Freepik on how AI is Changing Graphic Asset Creation
Listen to the interview or watch on Youtube for a very interesting conversation with Martin on several topics including product management and how it is changing with Generative AI and how Freepik is taking advange to offer new services to customers.
Market outlook:
The New Canvas: How GenAI is Transforming Creative Image Generation
For centuries, creativity was bound by human hands—brush strokes on canvas, film in a darkroom, pixels meticulously placed in Photoshop. Today, a new era is unfolding. Generative AI has shattered the traditional constraints of time, skill, and imagination, opening up a world where anyone can create, edit, and personalize visuals with nothing more than a few words.
The Artist and the Algorithm
In this new landscape, creativity is no longer a privilege of trained designers. A marketer with no design experience can generate a campaign’s entire visual identity in minutes. An entrepreneur can prototype brand imagery before hiring an agency. A social media manager can produce endless content variations tailored to micro-audiences—all with the help of AI.
But rather than replacing human creativity, GenAI is amplifying it. Artists are using AI as a co-creator, feeding prompts and refining outputs to push the boundaries of digital art. Tools like Adobe Firefly and DALL·E allow designers to manipulate images in ways that were once painstakingly complex, turning broad ideas into tangible visuals in seconds.
Beyond the Static Image
AI-driven image generation is also expanding beyond 2D. Platforms are now transforming text descriptions into dynamic 3D models, video sequences, and even interactive experiences. Imagine a world where product photos no longer require expensive photoshoots—an AI model can generate realistic, high-resolution visuals of a product in any setting, from any angle, in any lighting condition.
For brands, this shift is monumental. Personalized marketing, once an ambitious goal, is now an automated reality. AI can generate visuals tailored to each customer, adapting colors, styles, and even backgrounds based on user preferences, demographics, and purchase history.
A New Set of Challenges
Yet, this evolution is not without its complexities. The very nature of creativity is being redefined—who owns an AI-generated image? Can AI create without copying? Ethical concerns loom over datasets trained on existing works, sparking debates over copyright and fair use. Platforms like Freepik and Adobe are now prioritizing ethically sourced AI, while others face legal battles over content ownership.
The Future: Creativity Without Limits
As AI models evolve, they will become more intuitive, multimodal, and seamlessly integrated into creative workflows. The next frontier isn’t just static images—it’s interactive, adaptive, and generative experiences that respond to human intent in real time.
We are entering an age where the gap between imagination and creation is vanishing. The brush, the camera, the stylus—all are being replaced by a simple, powerful prompt: “Create.”
Company background:
Freepik, established in 2010 by Alejandro Sánchez, Pablo Blanes, and Joaquín Cuenca, began as a search engine indexing content from top free design websites. Over time, it evolved into a leading platform offering a vast collection of graphic resources, including vectors, stock photos, PSD files, and more. In 2015, Freepik introduced a subscription model, providing premium users with access to exclusive content without the need for attribution. The company has expanded its offerings through strategic acquisitions, such as Videvo in 2022, Iconfinder and Original Mockups in the same year, and EyeEm in October 2023, enhancing its presence in the video, audio, and icon markets. In May 2024, Freepik acquired Magnific, a Spanish startup specializing in AI-driven image upscaling and enhancement. By 2025, Freepik successfully transitioned into a visual GenAI company, offering advanced tools for creating and editing images, audio, and videos.
Customer Segments:
Freepik serves a diverse clientele, including:
Design Professionals: Graphic designers, illustrators, and web designers seeking high-quality assets for their projects.
Marketing Teams: Businesses requiring visual content for advertising, social media, and promotional materials.
Educators and Students: Individuals in the education sector utilizing resources for presentations, assignments, and learning materials.
Content Creators: Bloggers, vloggers, and social media influencers in need of engaging visuals for their platforms.
Product Innovations:
To meet the evolving needs of its users, Freepik has introduced several innovations:
AI-Driven Tools: Leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance image upscaling and editing capabilities, providing users with advanced tools for content creation.
Expanded Content Library: Through acquisitions like Videvo and EyeEm, Freepik has broadened its offerings to include videos, audio, and a vast collection of stock photos, catering to a wider range of creative projects.
Integration with Design Platforms: Developing plugins and integrations with popular design software, such as Figma, to streamline the workflow for designers.
Managing the GenAI Age:
Freepik has adeptly navigated the GenAI era by:
Strategic Acquisitions: Acquiring companies like Magnific to bolster AI capabilities, ensuring the platform remains at the forefront of AI-driven design solutions.
Product Evolution: Transitioning from a traditional stock image platform to a GenAI company, offering state-of-the-art tools for creating and editing images, audio, and videos.
User-Centric Approach: Continuously enhancing user experience by integrating AI technologies that simplify and expedite the design process, empowering users to produce high-quality content efficiently.
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