Professional designers should not feel “threatened” by the rapid growth of generative AI, according to business leaders. This view comes despite public fears over job losses in the sector, with 57% of the public believing AI will lead to widespread unemployment, according to research by The King’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence and the Policy Institute.
Industry bodies, including the Design Council and the Design Business Council, state that design, film production, and manufacturing companies are adopting AI at an accelerating pace. They believe the technology will be used to enhance the work of designers rather than replace them.
Mat Hunter, chief executive of the Design Council, noted that designers are using AI to add value and expressed belief in designers' ability to find opportunities. Deborah Dawton, chief executive of the Design Business Council, highlighted that skill, experience, empathy, and deep understanding protect designers from AI.
The Design Council's analysis shows the sector grew by 40% between 2019 and the end of 2023, surpassing the economy's 23% average expansion. Research for its Design Economy 2026 overview indicates that sectors like construction, services, and manufacturing support 2.27 million design jobs, with a 15% increase in employment between 2020 and 2025.
Hunter also identified a lack of skilled workers as a greater problem than AI, citing a 68% decline in entries for design and technology GCSEs over the decade to 2024.