A pattern is emerging in client briefs that should alarm every working designer: requests for speculative concepts “just to see the direction” accompanied by screenshots of Midjourney outputs as proof that AI makes this kind of exploration instant and essentially free. The spec work battle designers fought for two decades is being relitigated under new terms.
Why This is Different (and Worse)
When clients ask for spec work, they’re not just asking for free labor. They’re implicitly suggesting that your creative thinking isn’t worth paying for as a standalone deliverable — it only becomes valuable when attached to execution. AI-generated samples have given this argument a veneer of plausibility that it didn’t previously have. The client isn’t wrong that concept generation is faster now. They’re wrong about what the fast version produces versus what a considered, strategic approach produces.
The Counter-Argument You Need
The response that works: “We charge for Discovery because that’s where the strategic decisions happen. The brief I come back with after Discovery is worth more than three rounds of execution. AI can generate images quickly — it can’t generate the right strategy for your brand.” Then price Discovery as a standalone service starting at $1,500. Clients who won’t pay for thinking aren’t clients worth having.