Designers should not fear being replaced by AI, industry leaders say

Designers should not fear being replaced by AI, industry leaders say. Photograph: ktasimar/AlamyDesigners should not fear being replaced by AI, industry leaders sayFirms are more likely to use technology as ‘the intern in the office’ than as a replacement for skilled staffProfessional designers should not feel “threatened” by the rapid growth of generative AI, according to business leaders, despite fears over job losses in the sector.

What happened

Firms are more likely to use technology as ‘the intern in the office’ than as a replacement for skilled staffProfessional designers should not feel “threatened” by the rapid growth of generative AI, according to business leaders, despite fears over job losses in the sector. With design and film production companies and manufacturers all adopting AI at an accelerating pace, industry bodies said the technology would be used to enhance the work of designers rather than replace them. Continue reading. . .

Skip to main contentSkip to navigation Despite fears about the rapid growth of generative AI, industry leaders point to robust employment figures and argue that the tools have so far done little to reduce demand for design skills. With design and film production companies and manufacturers all adopting AI at an accelerating pace, industry bodies said the technology would be used to enhance the work of designers rather than replace them. Mat Hunter, the chief executive of the Design Council – a charity which champions the industry – said that while AI was increasingly being used by designers, “they are using it to add value”.

We believe the UK needs more professional designers, so overall employment should continue to grow. ”Deborah Dawton, chief executive of the Design Business Association, said: “What protects great designers from AI is skill, experience, empathy and deep understanding of the sectors they operate in. However, we believe in the imagination and inventiveness of designers to find opportunities. Last week, freelancers including designers told the Guardian they were picking up “soulless” work correcting AI errors.

The wider picture

The Design Council said on Monday that its analysis showed the sector – which covers everything from the design of household products and fashion to building and transport design – had grown by 40% between 2019 and the end of 2023, beating the economy’s 23% average rate of expansion and leapfrogging the size of the retail industry. While the figures estimating the size of the industry pre-date the arrival of dominant AI tools including ChatGPT and Claude, the employment figures to the end of last year indicate that their use has done little so far to affect the demand for workers with design skills.

He added that the government’s consolidation of hundreds of public sector websites into one consistent design was an example of improvements in a service that can be supported by designers. Dawton said AI was being used as a substitute for the work done by human designers, but “rip-offs have been happening for a very long time – AI hasn’t enabled that”. The industry went through a similar transition when companies began using computer-aided design software, displacing draughtspeople, but Dawton said modern workers could find jobs elsewhere in the industry as it expands.

The difference with the design industry is that large chunks of it drive that change. Its contribution was larger than the UK’s retail sector, worth £114bn, and nearly twice the size of the accommodation and food service industry, worth £70bn. He said: “We are aware that technology always displaces people with new ways of working.

What has been reported

Research funded by the council for its triennial overview – Design Economy 2026 – showed that sectors like construction, services and manufacturing support 2. 27m design jobs, and that there has been a 15% increase in employment between 2020 and 2025. Hunter said design was often considered to be an add-on or nice-to-have, but was essential to industries from advanced manufacturing to digital services. “People don’t realise design is everywhere and is about trying to make things usable,” he said. She added: “The key thing to remember is that these copycats look the same but they aren’t the same.

The materials, finishes, methods of manufacture, assembly, colour, etc, mean that they are very different products. ”Over the longer term, she said: “We have to adapt to any technological change that takes place around us. “For most in business, efficiency/optimisation is the main conversation around AI. He said design companies were more likely to use AI as “the intern in the office” than as a replacement for skilled staff.

What happens next

The Design Council report said some regions had grown strongly over the last eight years, though from a low base. There was an 88% increase in income from design across all industries in Wales and a 67% rise in the north-east of England. The south-east remained the hub for design industries, accounting for £43. 3bn of gross value added (GVA) – a calculation of income from economic activity – compared with just £3. Hunter said a lack of skilled workers was a bigger problem than AI after entries for design and technology GCSEs declined by 68% over the decade to 2024.

Dawton said: “We need specialist teachers and equipment in schools if we’re going to inspire the next generation of world shapers at an early age. ”Explore more on these topicsUK newsAI (artificial intelligence)DesignComputingnewsShareReuse this contentMost viewedMost viewed