I need to share what’s been on my mind lately about AI design tools.
I’ve been working as the sole UX Designer at a tech company for almost 2 years now. After attending a recent design conference, I got exposed to some new AI-powered design tools that can generate layouts and even produce code snippets pretty quickly.
At first I didn’t pay much attention to these tools since AI seemed to be everywhere and I was getting tired of the hype. But then my manager and several team members started experimenting with one of these platforms. They’re amazed at how rapidly it can create mockups and generate development-ready assets. There’s talk about speeding up our workflow and possibly reducing some coding tasks for our developers.
I decided to test it myself and found it useful for rapid prototyping and organizing interface elements. But I’m feeling conflicted about the whole thing.
One comment from my manager really bothered me: “This technology levels the playing field for everyone!”
While I appreciate that these tools can speed up brainstorming, I’m frustrated because it seems like the barrier to entry has been lowered so much that anyone at my workplace thinks they can create designs now. All the training, education, and countless hours I invested to reach this point feel somewhat devalued.
I see three possible outcomes for my career:
I might need to learn programming skills since AI probably can’t replace developers completely yet.
I could evolve into a UX Designer/Project Manager hybrid role.
In the worst scenario, my employer might think they no longer need me since they can “handle design work internally”.
I understand this is just how technology evolves and I accept that reality. It still stings though.
To sum up: I’m glad people can build more things. I’m frustrated it’s become so accessible for non-designers who didn’t invest years mastering this field. I’m somewhat worried about what comes next. But I get that this is how progress works.
Been through this exact thing when automation hit market research. AI’s great at execution but sucks at strategy and understanding users. Your manager’s “levels the playing field” comment completely misses it - anyone can use Photoshop, doesn’t make them a designer. What sets us apart is knowing user psychology, information architecture, and making decisions based on actual research instead of what looks pretty. I’ve started embracing these tools while doubling down on the strategic thinking behind my design choices. Actually makes my position stronger. Companies thinking AI replaces designers will figure it out the hard way when their products bomb in usability testing.
Your concerns are totally valid - you’re smart to see this shift coming. When similar tools hit my workflow, I had to completely reframe what I do. Instead of thinking I’m someone who creates layouts, I started positioning myself as the person who knows why certain design decisions work and others bomb. Our real value isn’t moving pixels around - it’s understanding user behavior, accessibility, and how design affects business metrics. Here’s what I’ve seen: non-designers use these AI tools and create stuff that looks decent but completely misses basic UX principles. Then someone has to fix all the usability issues that could’ve been avoided from the start. My take? Lean into the strategic stuff while letting these tools handle the repetitive tasks you probably hate anyway.
This hits close to home. Same thing happened when Canva exploded and suddenly everyone called themselves a “graphic designer”. But here’s the thing - those AI mockups still need someone who gets user flows, accessibility, and can spot when something looks pretty but doesn’t actually work. Embrace the tools, don’t let them define your worth.
i totally get it! like when Figma had that auto-layout thing, right? ai tools are cool & all, but they can’t replace our insights as designers. it’s about more than just aesthetics – it’s understanding the users’ needs. sure, non-designers might whip up nice looking things, but they’ll lack the real depth.