Embracing AI in Design: We’re not cooked — We’ve been upgraded
The existence of AI in Design doesn't mean we're not cooked, I promise.
Today, I want to talk about AI. It's obviously a hot topic across every industry at the moment so specifically i'm here to talk about AI's impact on design/engineering, its disruption of the game as we know it and how we shouldn't be scared rather, we should run towards it, understand it and embrace it.
Responding to outcry I say (we're not cooked) as a response to the outcry I hear and see a lot. Every time we get an update from Figma (nobody advocates design more than Figma themselves), Lovable, Claude - the latest one coming from Google Stitch we get an influx of stuff like this. (Read some of the tweets from screen & comment) Platforms like twitter, LinkedIn are inundated with creatives, peers and others writing our obituaries.
Now, let's be real, I'm not going to ignore that AI in its current state has capabilities to succeed in some design tasks, particularly rough designs or concept level work. What I'm here to tell you is that WE CAN co-exist. The game has changed. So should we. When I say the game has changed I mean specifically that old work flow. Speak with client, do wireframes, do a V1, get feedback, do V2 and then go live. Designers aren't cooked. We're being manipulated. Manipulated by stuff like this, articles like these and social media posts like these. I believe there are ways for Designers and other creatives to utilise AI in its current state that will benefit our day to day lives and workflows. More Efficient streamlined workflows, allowing us to focus on design polish and showcasing our skills. Let's dive into it deeper.
AI is good at the repetitive execution (ideation, rough concepts, variants, basic layouts). Your new role? Designer Visionaire. Which I hope becomes a job title. Directing the vision, the flair, and the final call. Think of these AI agents as your new little assistant. Need some super quick mock ups? Delegate to AI Agent. The designers who thrive are the ones who treat AI like a super-fast junior designer that needs great direction.