Automate Your Visuals: How to Create Images in Airtable with AI

Airtable has been getting more and more powerful lately, especially with all its new AI features. Now, you can do some pretty incredible things, like create custom images right inside your base. This is all thanks to a new feature called Airtable AI Labs, which lets you set up workflows that generate images based on your record data and then attach them automatically.

In this article, I'm going to walk you through exactly how to set up this magic. It's a step-by-step tutorial inspired by a project I worked on for a conference in Los Angeles, where I used Airtable AI to design a unique deck of themed playing cards. By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to build your own automation, write smart prompts, and generate stunning visuals on the fly.

Why Use Airtable AI for Images?

You’ve probably been using Airtable for managing records and files for a while now. It's great for that. But with AI Labs, you can now:

· Generate visual content automatically, without needing to open Photoshop or Canva.

· Create unique designs right inside your workspace.

· Automate repetitive design tasks so you can stop doing them yourself.

· Collaborate with your team by having AI-generated images attached directly to the records they're working on.

For a business, this can be a game-changer. Imagine auto-generating marketing images, product mockups, or event graphics. The possibilities are truly endless, turning Airtable from just a database into a powerful, creative tool.

What You'll Need to Get Started

Before we jump in, just make sure you have a few things set up:

· Airtable AI should be enabled in your account.

· You need access to AI Labs, which you can turn on from your admin panel.

· You'll need a base with:

o A checkbox field (this will be our trigger).

o An attachment field (where the AI will save the image).

o Any other fields you want to use to describe your images (like "Product Name" or "Category").

Step 1: Let's Get Our Base Ready

For my playing card project, I built a simple base with a table called "Deck." Each record in the table was a single card, and it had a few key fields:

· Card ID (e.g., "Ace of Spades" or "10 of Hearts").

· Generate Card (a simple checkbox).

· Card Image (my attachment field where the AI-generated images would land).

You can easily copy this structure for your own project. For example, if you're creating a product catalog, you could have fields for "Product Name," "Category," and an "Image" attachment field.

Step 2: Time to Build an Automation

The real magic of Airtable AI Labs happens when you connect a simple prompt to an automation. Here's how to set it up:

1. Go to the Automations section in your base.

2. Click + New Automation.

3. Give it a simple name, like "Generate Card Image."

Now, you need to set up the trigger. This tells Airtable when to start the process.

· Choose the trigger "When record matches conditions."

· Select your table (my "Deck" table).

· Set the conditions:

o The "Generate Card" checkbox is checked.

o And the "Card Image" attachment field is empty.

This last condition is important because it prevents the automation from running over and over again. It will only generate a new image when you've told it to and when there isn't one there already.

Step 3: Now for the Fun Part: The AI Action

This is where you tell the AI what to do.

1. Add an action step and choose "Generate Image with AI."

2. In the Prompt field, this is where you get to be creative. You'll describe what you want the AI to create.

o Here's the prompt I used: "Create a playing card in the style of a classic deck. The card should represent {Card ID}. Make it themed for the Airtable AI flagship event in Los Angeles with LA-inspired iconography."

Notice the curly braces { }. That’s a game-changer. It pulls in data from your records, so every time the automation runs, it creates a unique image based on the specific card in that record.

3. Finally, tell it where to put the image. Under "Output field," just choose your attachment field (in my case, "Card Image").

Now you have a fully automated system that generates images with just a single click.

Step 4: Test it Out!

It’s time to see it in action.

1. Go back to your base.

2. Find a record and check the "Generate Card" box.

3. Wait a few seconds. The automation will kick in, and you'll see a new image appear directly in your attachment field.

Depending on how complex your prompt is, it might take a minute, but it's pretty exciting to watch it happen live.

The Secret to Great Results: Prompt Engineering

This is where you can go from good to great. A vague prompt will give you a generic image. A detailed, well-written prompt can give you something truly stunning.

I started with a simple prompt and then refined it. For my playing cards, I added more specific details, asking the AI to include things like "palm trees," "city skylines," and "Hollywood references." The final cards were much more unique and fit the theme perfectly.

If you don't like what the AI generates, that's okay! You can just delete the image from the attachment field, and since that field is now empty, you can check the box again to get a new one. This makes it easy to keep trying until you get the perfect image.

Beyond the Playing Cards: Other Ways to Use This

This same exact workflow can be used for so many other things:

· Marketing: A marketing team could auto-generate campaign graphics with consistent branding for a product launch.

· E-commerce: You could create concept images for new products or placeholders for your online store.

· Event Planning: Quickly design themed visuals for conference booths or meetups.

· Content Creation: Generate unique artwork for blog posts or social media at a massive scale.

With Airtable AI Labs, Airtable is becoming more than just a place to store data. It's becoming a tool for creative production.

The Final Word

Creating image attachments with Airtable AI Labs is a huge step forward for anyone looking to bring data to life. By combining automations, smart prompts, and a little bit of creative testing, you can generate custom images that automatically attach to your records.

This workflow saves you time, unlocks new creative possibilities, and completely eliminates the need for external design tools for so many tasks. Whether you’re a business owner, a marketer, or a designer, this new feature is opening doors to entirely new ways of working.