Design for Abundance

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The integration of AI tools isn’t just changing how we work; it’s fundamentally transforming who we are as designers.” In a world where intelligent systems can conjure layouts, copy, and even full websites from a few prompts, creation has become almost free. What remains scarce, and therefore valuable, is the ability to choose, to curate, to exercise taste. This article explores how expert UX/UI designers and business owners can thrive in an era of AI-powered abundance by cultivating discernment, embracing new workflows, and upholding human-centred values.

A World Where Creation Is Cheap

Generative AI exploded onto the design scene between 2023 and 2025. The State of UX 2025 report warns that designers are handing over control to a complex network of algorithms. Tools like ChatGPT, Figma AI, Uizard, and DALL·E turn language into interfaces, enabling designers to produce multiple iterations in minutes, as explored in this overview of the shift from creator to curator. Business adoption is just as rapid. A 2024 survey found that 78% of organisations used AI in at least one function, and 71% used generative AI across business functions. Only 13% of companies reported no plans to use AI.

So, does this mean the craft is dead, or just different now? It is different. The work shifts from pushing pixels to steering systems.

The scale of investment signals how cheap creation is becoming. The generative AI design market grew from $0.81 billion in 2024 to $1.11 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $3.61 billion by 2029. With models capable of generating large portions of a codebase, Y Combinator partner Jared Friedman calls the trend “insane”. Leo Paz, founder of Outlit, goes further: “Human taste is now more important than ever as codegen tools make everyone a 10x engineer”. In other words, if anyone can generate product screens, the differentiator shifts from making to deciding which version is truly right.

But wait, isn’t more output always better? Not necessarily. More output without taste becomes noise.

Key statistics on abundance

These numbers reveal a paradox. Generative capacity and AI budgets are expanding rapidly, yet inclusive, human-centred design remains scarce. As designers cede execution to machines, their responsibility to curate, to empathise, and to advocate for accessibility grows even more important.

So, where should we place our energy? Put it into taste, ethics, and clear intent.

From Makers to Curators

The shift from “making” to “choosing” is more than a catchy slogan, it marks a fundamental change in the designer’s identity. Adrian Levy describes how AI tools transform designers from pixel-perfect creators into curators of dynamic, intelligent systems. Instead of starting from a blank canvas, designers now begin with a conversation, a prompt, or a draft, then edit, steer, and refine, a theme echoed in this Designshift analysis. Ross Lovegrove likens working with AI to having a conversation with a very intelligent friend, where the designer guides the composition, also captured by Designshift.

Roger Wong, analysing Y Combinator data, notes that one quarter of startup founders said more than 95% of their code base was AI-generated. This inversion of skills means that being great at execution is less valuable when AI can produce high-quality outputs quickly. Human judgment and strategic direction rise to the forefront. Even Jakob Nielsen’s idea of vibe design emphasises describing the desired feeling and letting AI propose solutions, a process that looks more like creative direction than hands-on crafting.

The State of UX 2025 report warns that this shift can lead to a great design handoff where control migrates to algorithms and business stakeholders. When growth metrics override empathy and half-baked AI features are shipped to “fail fast,” designers must advocate for user care. The report also cautions that personalisation algorithms can create echo chambers, making it harder for designers to empathise with diverse users.

So, are we giving up control or redefining it? We are redefining it by choosing what gets through and why.

Callout: Designers as Editors in Chief

Jon Friedman, Microsoft’s head of design, puts it bluntly: “My role has shifted to being more like an editor in chief.” AI does not replace designers, it changes their mode of operation. Designing in abundance means drafting with AI and then evaluating, editing, and curating the best solutions.

With generative tools producing volumes of work, the value lies in taste, critical thinking, and ethical judgment.

Why Taste Is the Differentiator

When creation costs approach zero, the scarcity moves to evaluation and taste. The team at Creative Bloq argues that human taste is going to be more important than ever because the novelty of AI-generated content wears off quickly. Without discernment, we risk drowning in soulless outputs. This sentiment echoes across the design community. A Future Work/Life perspective notes that when AI can generate most of a codebase, competitive advantage shifts from coding to product intuition. Cam Cress urges designers to build inspiration libraries and treat AI like a taste gym, constantly remixing and curating ideas to strengthen their critical eye.

But can taste be taught, or only trained? It can be trained through deliberate exposure, critique, and iteration.

Leo Paz’s observation that “human taste is now more important than ever” has become a rallying cry. Taste is hard to automate because it derives from human experiences, cultural context, and empathy. It is the ability to recognise what feels right, to detect nuance, and to anticipate user needs before data reveals them. In a sea of machine-generated options, taste is what makes a design resonate.

Develop Your Taste

Cultivating taste is a long-term endeavour. Designers can:

1. Study diverse work. Build a personal reference library across industries and cultures. Explore classic design literature, emerging artists, architecture, cinema, and music. Diversity broadens the palette from which taste is drawn, as argued in this piece on taste as a differentiator.
2. Remix and iterate. Use AI tools to generate dozens of variations, then consciously curate the best. Treat AI as a collaborator that helps you explore the design space quickly, an approach described by Cam Cress.
3. Seek feedback. Share drafts with peers and users. Explain your rationale and listen to their reactions. Taste improves when challenged by different perspectives.
4. Practice critical writing. Write critiques of designs you admire or dislike. As Charles Owen says, “critical thinking is about sketching with words”. Words force you to articulate why something works.
5. Stay human-centred. Taste without empathy can become elitist. Regularly conduct user research and test your curated designs to ensure they meet real needs, as discussed in this overview.

Quick gut check, does this list feel doable week to week? Yes, if you block time and treat it like training, not a side quest.

Tools Are Abundant, Curators Are Scarce

The abundance of AI tools introduces new workflows and skill gaps. According to a survey of over 400 designers by Foundation Capital, 96% of designers learn AI tools on their own. Startups adopt AI twice as fast as large companies, resulting in fragmented tool ecosystems. Designers must navigate a labyrinth of chatbots, prototyping platforms, and image generators. Without a clear methodology, it is easy to feel overwhelmed, or to delegate too much to algorithms.

Moreover, the accessibility gap remains stark. Only 3% of the web is considered accessible. As AI accelerates production, inclusive design risks being left behind. Automation can exacerbate biases when models are trained on unrepresentative data. Designers must audit and adapt AI outputs to ensure that they serve diverse audiences.

So, what keeps the work grounded when tools multiply? Intent, constraints, and regular user contact.

New Skills for the AI Era

Designing in abundance requires a different skillset than crafting pixels by hand. Key competencies include:

• Strategic thinking. Understand the business and ethical implications of AI. As Rachel Kobetz says, “Intelligence is the interface.” Design leaders must shape how systems behave and evolve, not just how they look, a shift outlined here.
• Prompt literacy. Language has become a primary design material. Prompting AI effectively is akin to sketching with words. Clear, precise prompts yield better outputs and reduce time spent sifting through noise.
• Ethical curation. Evaluate AI outputs for bias, accessibility, and privacy implications. The State of UX 2025 warns of personalisation algorithms creating echo chambers. Designers must act as ethical gatekeepers.
• Data interpretation. Make sense of user behaviour patterns produced by AI analytics. Use these insights to curate designs that respond to real needs, as encouraged in this overview.
• Facilitation and collaboration. AI-native workflows demand radical collaboration across product, engineering, and business teams. Designers must guide cross-functional exploration and ensure that AI prototypes align with strategic goals, as discussed by Designshift.

If you had to pick one skill to practice first, which one would change your week? Start with prompt literacy, then layer in ethical checks.

Callout: Ethical Considerations

Fail-fast culture can harm users. The State of UX 2025 report warns that half-baked AI features are often shipped prematurely in the name of speed. When growth metrics override empathy, marginalised users can be excluded. Designers must champion accessibility and fairness, ensuring that AI-generated experiences are equitable.

Designing in Abundance: A Framework

To thrive in the AI era, designers can adopt the following framework:

1. Define intent clearly. Start every project by articulating the desired user outcomes and ethical constraints. Use this as a compass for AI prompts and curation.
2. Generate broadly. Leverage AI tools to produce diverse options, layouts, user flows, microcopy, and even prototypes. Resist the temptation to accept the first output.
3. Curate with taste. Evaluate the options using your reference library, user research, and ethical guidelines. Select and combine elements that align with intent and resonate emotionally.
4. Prototype and test quickly. Take advantage of AI-generated prototypes to gather user feedback early, a practice highlighted here. Iterate based on insights, not just on AI suggestions.
5. Document decisions. Maintain a trail of rationale for each curated choice. This transparency aids collaboration and helps refine prompts for future iterations.
6. Advocate for accessibility. Integrate accessibility checks into every stage, ensuring AI outputs meet WCAG standards and serve all users, as the data reminds us.

One more sanity check, does this workflow slow you down? It speeds you up by removing rework and aligning decisions early.

FAQ

Will AI replace UX/UI designers?

No. AI shifts responsibilities rather than eliminates roles. It automates execution but elevates the importance of strategic thinking, taste, and ethical judgment. Jon Friedman notes that designers are becoming editors in chief, as discussed here. AI becomes a thought partner, generating options that designers must evaluate and refine, as outlined in this overview.

How can I develop my design taste?

Build a diverse inspiration library, generate many variations with AI, and consciously curate them. Cam Cress recommends treating AI as a taste gym, where you remix and refine ideas. Seek feedback from peers, engage in cross-disciplinary studies, and practice articulating why a design works or fails, as argued here.

What are the risks of AI-driven design?

AI can perpetuate biases, create echo chambers, and prioritise metrics over empathy, a theme in the State of UX 2025. Models trained on limited data may ignore minority users. There is also a risk of relying too much on AI and losing critical craft skills. Designers must audit outputs for fairness, maintain accessibility standards, and remember that technology serves people, not the other way around, as the accessibility data shows.

How do I integrate AI ethically into my workflow?

Set clear ethical guardrails at the start. Ensure transparency about AI involvement and protect user privacy. When using AI assistants for research, summarise findings and cross-check with human judgement. Conduct inclusive testing to uncover hidden biases and adjust prompts or datasets accordingly, as this overview suggests.

Still wondering if ethics will slow down shipping? It prevents expensive fixes later and builds trust that compounds.

Visualising the Shift

Below is a flowchart capturing how modern UX workflows evolve from making to curating. The mermaid diagram shows the journey from idea to AI generation, human curation, and iteration:

flowchart TD
    A[Define intent & ethical guardrails] --> B[Prompt AI tools]
    B --> C[AI generates multiple design variations]
    C --> D{Designer evaluates & curates}
    D -->|Select best elements| E[Prototype & test with users]
    E --> F[Gather feedback & data]
    F --> D
    D -->|Document rationale| G[Hand off curated design]

Image Suggestions

While this article does not embed images, here are suggested visuals to enhance engagement. Each includes a description and alt text for accessibility:

1. UX designer as conductor. Description: A digital illustration of a UX designer dressed as a symphony conductor. They stand in front of floating interface panels, charts, and AI icons, orchestrating the elements with a baton. Alt text: “A UX designer conducts various interface elements and AI symbols, symbolising the shift from creating to orchestrating.”
2. Generative AI market growth chart. Description: A bar chart showing revenue growth of the generative AI design market from $0.81 billion in 2024 to $1.11 billion in 2025 and projected $3.61 billion in 2029. Alt text: “Bar chart illustrating the rapid revenue growth of the generative AI design market between 2024 and 2029.”
3. Curation vs creation collage. Description: A split image where the left side shows a designer painstakingly drawing wireframes, while the right side depicts a designer reviewing AI-generated mock-ups on a screen. Alt text: “Comparison between manual wireframing and AI-generated options, highlighting the transition from making to choosing.”

Designers stand at a crossroads. In an abundant world where AI makes, recombines, and iterates for free, the true craft shifts to curation. The leaders of tomorrow will be those who cultivate taste, champion accessibility, and direct intelligent systems with wisdom. Creation is cheap; human judgment is priceless.

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