What is UX designers’ role in the advent of AI?

UX designers: what’s your role in the advent of AI?

AI isn’t coming into UX design, it has already arrived. Already, 93% of UX designers have used AI in their design process. Taking away basic tasks, generating ideas and experimenting with different concepts, this technology is helping design teams do more, even as their headcounts are restricted. 

Yet these benefits don’t come without worries. Creatives are already reporting that their original work and skill is being diminished due to generative AI, adding to genuine worries about the technology displacing jobs and driving a loss of craft. 

The impact of integrating AI in the UX design process is undeniable, and is already affecting the roles of designers. However, this doesn’t mean the complete replacement of human design teams, it just means a change in the responsibilities and skills that will be expected of them. 

How AI is changing the UX designer’s role

AI is now able to take on certain tasks previously done by UX designers. From large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT to industry-specific tools like Figma Make, AI is able to support UX designers by performing tasks such as: 

• Reviewing designs for biases and thinking of the potential consequences and edge cases
• Rapid concept design and ideation by developing prototypes and brainstorming 
• Analyzing user research by looking for patterns and pulling out requested data

However, the extent to which this technology is integrated into the UX design process is dictated by design teams. For example, some will let AI act as a coworker, taking a ‘hands-off’ approach with minimal intervention over this technology’s output. Other teams, like ours, use AI as an assistant to perform very specific, basic tasks with close oversight from human colleagues. 

The way of working design teams choose will have a direct impact on the way a UX designer’s role changes. If AI is used to analyze user research, then designers will no longer have to perform this function, but they will need to write the prompts to ensure the technology pulls through the right information.  

AI tools also have certain limitations, the gaps for which only human UX designers can fill. These skills, which will become essential as AI is deeply integrated into UX design processes, include:

• Nuanced understanding and judgment on design choices, including applying trends, business context and perspectives from both users and stakeholders
• Empathy for how users feel when they’re interacting with products, and applying this experience to create a richer, better UX 
• Creatively solving design problems such as fixing difficult user flows or updating legacy UX to fit new business needs
• Ethical and factual gatekeeping, which can be assisted by AI, but needs to be led and overseen by human colleagues 

This means, as design teams start to develop their AI-enabled processes, they need to clearly outline the roles and responsibilities of individual colleagues. These must then be set out in job descriptions and ladders to ensure teams have the competencies to take full advantage of AI. 

New responsibilities in AI-enabled design teams

Before AI, designers had wide-ranging responsibilities. Beyond doing actual design work, research, planning and strategic roles also fell within your remit. With some of these tasks now taken care of by new technologies, UX designer roles will shift to focus more on: 

• Reviewing any output produced by AI tools to make sure the ideas, prototypes and designs are high quality and meet the needs of users and other stakeholders
• Delegating tasks to AI tools, including writing accurate prompts to get the best possible output from the technology
• Actively communicating the role of colleagues as part of AI design processes to ensure their value is understood and championed

The introduction of AI will also bring significant changes for design managers. In the short term, it will also increase their workload as they work out how the technology is best integrated into UX design processes. From defining the roles of AI alongside human colleagues, managers will need to troubleshoot any problems and upskill the team to use these tools effectively. 

Design leaders will also be responsible for setting out the policies and guidelines under which AI is used. This governance isn’t just important for teams to understand how tools are used responsibly, but to reassure the wider business and end users that you’re maintaining ethics and compliance in your processes.

UX design teams as human advocates

A key role for UX design teams as AI is integrated into processes is advocating for human value. This is because the wider business may assume that these new technologies can replace colleagues in these roles. Design teams need to be able to clearly set out the benefits they bring to the processes alongside those of AI. 

Whether it’s gatekeeping ethics, managing stakeholder needs or championing user needs, it’s essential that designers and managers understand their new roles and can explain them to the wider business. This will ensure their value is advocated for, keeping their jobs protected and ensuring a smooth transition to AI-enabled processes.

What the future holds for UX designers

AI can bring huge benefits to the UX design process, particularly for smaller teams looking to increase efficiency. However, it’s important that the value that human colleagues bring to UX design is protected and strongly advocated for. Otherwise, the gatekeeping, creativity and nuanced understanding of human colleagues will be lost, potentially leading to low-quality outputs and unethical processes. 

For UX designers and managers, this means having clear roles and responsibilities that they can communicate to others. By leading AI integration and advocating their own value, they can ensure the successful introduction of this technology, helping the business take full competitive advantage. 

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