Is product design as we know it dying? Seeking long-term career advice
I’ve been working as a product designer at an international design studio for the past 3 years. Last December, I left to start my own studio. I got a few inbound clients and delivered solid work, but then the AI hype hit, and as you’d expect, the number of founders looking for product design services dropped significantly.
To be clear, I’m not against AI at all. I actually like it. For me, it’s mostly been about switching tools and improving my workflow, and I’ve adapted quite comfortably.
My concern isn’t even “will I find clients for my studio in short term?”, I’m confident I can figure that out one way or another.
What genuinely worries me is this: UI feels like a pre-AI paradigm. I can’t clearly see where product design is heading in the near future. Fully generative UIs? Fewer clients? A completely different role for designers? I don’t know.
Design has been the core of my life for as long as I can remember. I started drawing at 4 years old, and since then I’ve always been someone who takes things and makes them better - visually, functionally, holistically. I’ve always believed this is the most valuable thing I can offer to the world.
Now I’m questioning what that even looks like in the future.
How are you thinking about this shift?
How are you positioning yourself as a designer right now?
What bets are you making for the long term?
I’d really appreciate hearing perspectives from other designers who are actively navigating this.