The global Art Directors Club (ADC) has announced the composition of the jury for the new ADC AI Visual Design – Dreamina AI category as part of the ADC 105th Annual Awards, confirming that entries will be evaluated by creative leaders with experience both in traditional design craft and in the practical application of artificial intelligence.
As the organization highlights, the goal of the jury selection was to ensure credibility and continuity of design excellence standards, rather than simply reflecting the current hype surrounding AI technologies. The focus of evaluation remains on the idea, creative intent and cultural relevance, with AI understood as a tool within the creative process.
International jury with experience in creativity and AI
The jury of the new category consists of professionals from design, creative technologies, advertising and AI production:
- Salma Aboukar – AI Design Partner, Silverside AI (London)
- Lars Bastholm – Founder & CCO, Bastholm Creative Consulting (Copenhagen)
- Ana Gomez Bernaus – Associate Creative Director, Buck (Los Angeles)
- Taryn Crouthers – CEO, Spaceship (New York)
- Andrew Dobbie – Founder & CEO, MadeBrave (Glasgow)
- Fera – AI Filmmaker and Creative Technologist, Mashed Potatoes AI (Lisbon)
- Sherina Florence – Founder & Chief Creative Architect, IABM (London)
- Stan Haanappel – Lead Designer & Partner, Studio Dumbar/DEPT (Rotterdam)
- Lauren Indovina – Director & Visual Artist, House of Indovina (Los Angeles)
- Manjula Nadkarni – Founder & CEO, Yuni (San Francisco)
- Tim Rodgers – Founder, Ace Workflow (New York)
- Iain Tait – Founder, Food Arts and Technology (London)
- Natalia Talkowska – CEO, NATALKA (London)
- Wesley ter Haar – Chief AI & Revenue Officer, Monks (Amsterdam)
Such a jury composition reflects the increasingly pronounced integration of AI into creative processes, from design and film to advertising and technology platforms, while clearly signaling that technological innovation alone is not sufficient without conceptual clarity and craft.
AI works evaluated under the same criteria as traditional design
According to Kevin Swanepoel, CEO of The One Club for Creativity, works created with the help of artificial intelligence should be assessed according to the same standards that have defined quality design for more than a century: clarity of idea, creative intent and human judgment.
This approach demonstrates how the industry is increasingly seeking to integrate AI into existing creative frameworks, rather than viewing it as a parallel or entirely new discipline.
AI as a tool, not a replacement for creativity
The new category focuses on works that use AI as a creative partner, not as a substitute for the authorial idea. Precisely for this reason, the jury selection signals a shift toward a more mature understanding of generative technologies in the creative industry, where emphasis returns to concept, storytelling and visual craft, even as technology becomes increasingly sophisticated.
The jury announcement comes at a time when a growing number of festivals and awards are introducing AI categories, but with this move ADC aims to maintain continuity of professional standards and clearly defined criteria of creative quality.
