I'll know it when I see it.

Designers are very familiar with that phrase. It’s one reason generative AI is here to stay.

When stakeholders use AI to make mockups, there’s still room for designers. AI doesn’t understand context. A good designer can see when a stakeholder is struggling and offer thoughtful alternatives, often before being asked.

Yes, you’ll know it when you see it. But how will you know what to try without a designer? When you hire a designer, you’re not just hiring someone to execute. You’re hiring a specific point of view, a sense of style, an eye for detail. A tastemaker.

Design systems aren’t just a set of buttons and cards. They're a shared understanding of how a product communicates. Designers build that understanding through research and iteration. AI can pull pieces together, but it doesn’t know why they go there. Design systems are built by humans who understand tradeoffs, edge cases, and audience needs. They require strategy, not just output.AI does what it’s told. Designers see what’s missing. Design is still a reflection of the human condition, and that’s something AI can’t replicate.

How are you navigating this shift? Have you seen stakeholders use AI in ways that surprised you? Is AI raising the bar for designers or lowering it?