A few days ago,Figma CEO Dylan Field In YC'sAI Startup School on where designers should go in the age of AI.
During the conversation, Dylan expressed his belief that the lines are blurring not only between design and development, but also between product and even user research. "All of these roles are no longer distinct, they're deeply integrated," he said. The emergence of AI has only accelerated this trend, it noted, and "there are certain qualities of AI that naturally empower generalists".
In the context of the AI era, Dylan emphasized that"Development will become easier, and design, craftsmanship, and a unique point of view will be the key differentiators.As a result, he strongly advocates that designers should step out of their traditional roles and 'go be founders and start their own companies'.
Dylan also explained that"In short, designers will be seen as in-house experts, much like today's top writers or editors."He said that the designer of the future will be the best person to solve problems, conceptualize solutions, explore the labyrinth of creativity, establish direction and build systems.
Additionally, Dylan argues that AI researchers should think like designers and use qualitative research to gain a deeper understanding of user needs. He emphasized that when building AI tools, the involvement of designers and product managers is critical to evaluating models and ensuring product effectiveness.