Will AI take over design tasks? Will robots replace designers in the future?
Talk about artificial intelligence and it is immediately portrayed as a replacement for humans. But is it really so? While there is no doubt that AI will change the design framework, the idea that this smart technology can replace humans is not entirely plausible. As technology evolves and economies change, business processes change naturally. The design process is also affected by this change.
This article aims to discuss how artificial intelligence will profoundly change the design process. Instead of viewing AI as a threat, we look at the opportunities it presents to the design field, its impact on design practice and principles, and how the work of designers will change.
Analyze the role of artificial intelligence in two design contexts
To understand the impact of artificial intelligence in design, it is useful to analyze the two environments in which the design operates – Design Principles and Design Practices. While design principles refer to design philosophy, design practice is about how and what to design. Understanding the difference between the two will help us gain insight into the impact of AI on design.
Design Principles
Generally speaking, design is about creating meaningful solutions for people. In an organizational setting, designers follow design thinking principles to achieve this.
Design Thinking Principles
- people oriented: Design innovation should be driven by user pain points rather than technological advancements.
- abductive reasoning: Forming speculation based on observations is a great way to look at a problem from a different perspective and create a solution.
- iterate: Adjust the conclusions of abduction and improve them through iterative loops of tests until a satisfactory solution is obtained.
In traditional design methods, these activities require manual labor. But AI can fundamentally change that. AI powers the design process with real-time data recorded from user interactions or market trends. This data can serve as input for designers or, more interestingly, can be used to create artificial intelligence engines. AI engines have the ability to solve problems and generate solutions for various environments without human interaction.
AI can also free designers from detailed decision-making.
During the design process, several decisions must be made and actions taken – but only a few of them require a great deal of imagination or creativity.
Problem solving skills are required for most decisions, especially complex decisions during development such as the functional form of objects or the display of textual details. AI can handle them, allowing designers to focus more on the creative aspects of design.
Therefore, in the age of AI, the role of the designer will not be to imagine or create large-scale designs, but to come up with new products and design problem-solving cycles. These loops act as independent, human-independent design systems that can replace humans with machines to achieve specific solutions. Therefore, a model that can provide various solutions in a short time without much effort can be realized.
design practice
While technology plays an important role in influencing operations and helping reduce development costs and time, its role in design practice is rather limited.
With AI, this changes, as it brings automation into “design” rather than just “implementation.” Automation capabilities enable designers to get work done faster and improve workflow efficiency.
A good example is the AI system developed by Airbnb, which translates models (drawn by designers) into component specifications. Airbnb is known for using AI to transform its operations in many ways. In this example, the basis of this AI system is the standardization and organization of all design components.
The AI engine can identify components from drawings and turn them into specifications and source code for prototypes.
The role of AI in design practice is not limited to automating existing practices. With its problem-solving abilities, it can also influence detailed design choices, such as what type of content to create, how to position the product, what interface to present to the user, and more.
AI will enable dynamic design, i.e. what kind of user experience the AI system will currently design. The role of the designer will be to design the problem-solving loop we saw above, not the solution.
What is the future of designers
What will the future of designers look like as artificial intelligence begins to be deeply integrated into the design field? What do designers need to know to adapt and thrive in the age of AI? Let’s take a look.
Designer as Curator
A major breakthrough in AI in design will be that designers will become curators rather than creators. They will develop an artificial intelligence system and train it to solve problems based on different goals and environments. Part of their responsibility is to define parameters, constraints, and goals for other models, and to define and train AI systems.
Another aspect is improving AI-generated designs and reviewing them.
non-designers as designers
AI will be able to access programs such as creative intelligence training and human-centred design training. Therefore, non-designers will have the opportunity to develop their creativity and design thinking skills which will enable them to work in design. So creativity and social intelligence alone cannot sustain designers. To remain competitive, designers must acquire expertise in multiple disciplines or specialize in specific areas.
request an expert
While the barriers to entry into the design industry are lowering, the demand for people who master the craft will increase. Using AI-driven tools, hobbyist designers can quickly generate thousands of design variations. But sifting through them and choosing the ones that best fit the context requires the skilled hands of seasoned designers.
Designed for virtual
The next big thing in design is the use of augmented and virtual reality. AR and VR will explode in the next few years, creating demand for specific skills. Additionally, the challenges of interacting in VR and curating virtual experiences will require unique skills that AI engines may not be able to meet. So in the design of the future, the virtual world offers great potential for designers.
How the cooperation will manifest
Future designers must work creatively with algorithms to improve their workflow. Let’s look at three areas where human-robot collaboration is most important.
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Create a user interface:
Designers will collaborate with machines to quickly create user interfaces. Things like logic, context, etc. Defined by the designer, the AI will compile the design using standardized patterns and principles.
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prepare element:
Simple graphic tasks like creating various compositions, different matching colormaps, etc. take up a lot of the designer’s time. However, AI can do them quickly with the right input. As a result, designers will collaborate with artificial intelligence tools to quickly prepare design elements.
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Personalized user experience:
Big data analytics generate actionable insights to personalize user experience. Recommendation engines used by Netflix, Spotify, etc. are examples of how AI can effectively personalize user experience. Designers will leverage this AI skill to provide a better user experience.
The future of artificial intelligence in design
Far from threatening to put designers out of work, AI opens doors to many opportunities. It enables designers to co-create with machines to work smarter and faster.
The collaboration of humans and computers will enable things that each of us cannot do alone. Additionally, AI leverages continuous learning, which is at the heart of innovation.
AI enables designers to push the limits of scope, scale, and learning. It will be a fascinating journey where innovation, creativity and empathy come together to give design a new nature.
Image Credits: Polina Kovaleva; Pixels; Thanks!