The worry is real. And here’s why: AI can now generate the interface. The mockups. The variations. Even the polish.
So what’s left for designers?
There’s three things AI can’t do:
Strategic intent. Defining what should exist and why. Not how it looks - what problem it solves, what principles govern it, what constraints keep it aligned. When Stripe’s fraud system flags a transaction, someone designed those constraints. That’s design work.
Judgment. Knowing which option actually works. Not just aesthetically, but strategically. Does this solve a real problem or just look impressive? When does “personalized” become “creepy”? When does “automated” become “alienating”? Pattern recognition across culture, business, and user behavior.
Systems fluency. Thinking architecturally regardless of the tools. How does information flow? Where do decisions get made? What constraints cascade? The tech changes too fast for tool mastery to matter. The thinking persists.
Google just cut 100+ Cloud designers. Not because design doesn’t matter. Because they were designing outputs while the real decisions about constraints, coordination, and system behavior were happening without them.
The market is shifting. Strategic design roles pay 20-30% more than execution-focused roles. Companies are hiring for taste and judgment, not pixel-pushing.
Interface design
isn’t dead. But the consequential work moved up the stack.
Stop designing what it looks like. Start designing how it behaves and why it should exist.