Tune out the AI doomsayer envagelist.
Enough of the doomsaying amplification, tune out and start focusing on the fundamental of everything technology
Ignore the AI doomsayers, if this post serve that purpose also ignore it—AI isn’t here to replace us; it’s here to enhance the way we work, but only if we truly understand our work. Rather than fearing automation, focus on how AI can speed up repetitive tasks, freeing you to focus on the fun part of the work and use the extra time to develop your expertise.
Tune out the noise of AI doom especially the one from your mentor in the design industry
Lately, I have been unfollowing many so-called design experts, including my mentors, especially on LinkedIn. These are people I looked up to since I began my design career, but I think it is time to let go. It is a necessary decision I have to make for my own sanity and peace of mind. It is as though these people have lost touch with reality, especially with so many people out of jobs and uncertain about what’s next for their future. It is irresponsible of these mentors with all their AI hype.
May be the advice they share publicly is coming from a good place, and they may only be trying to help, but I wish they would tone it down and use their EQ when approaching this conversation. I saw on LinkedIn recently someone said UX and design roles will change for the better and how designers will be required to learn to code and so on. I think it is time to tune out all this noise that will only make you anxious.
I know I am not alone with this feeling; you’ve probably read or listened to one of these AI gloom-and-doom narratives as well. People who are supposed to provide you with a better perspective are there being the scarecrows. I want you to protect your peace of mind, and don’t let all these UX executives, so-called experts, and mentors project their fears onto you—all the fear and insecurity of AI doom in the name of giving you advice. This advice also applies to this article.
I am a fan of this quote:
“Be fearful when others are greedy and be greedy when others are fearful.”
— Warren Buffet
I like to mentally rephrase and say — When everyone is zigging, try to zag, and work really hard to improve your perspective to see what others are not seeing.
What are the steps to take to future-proof your design career?
I will say go back to the basics of everything. I mean, learn Computer Science fundamentals again. Don’t get me wrong; this isn’t about learning to code, but to understand how programming works and how your design contribution is being implemented. There are a lot of free fundamental courses out there. GitHub and edX offer some excellent resources you can check out.
Understand what an algorithm is and programming logic. These are not really hard concepts. It will make it easy for you to use AI for your work. Understand what is happening as people interact with your final design—that’s the backend. Learn and understand how information is stored.
Don’t stop at just code. Understand the future of design as well. What are pixel concepts, colors, depth, and all the fundamentals of visual design? Examples include contrast, typography, etc. Learn what spatial reality is. Make your design and roots really strong so you can manipulate AI to achieve anything you imagine, from concept to finishing.
“Treating AI like an intern is a game-changing mindset. If you take agency over how you use it, AI is a powerful resource that will free up time for strategic thinking, allow you to tackle projects gathering digital dust, and jumpstart creative ideation.”
— Katy Turner, Product Marketing Manager for AI at Coda
To conclude,
Currently, everyone is so fixated on AI that it’s not getting anything done for them but mediocre output because they lack the foundation or just don’t understand what they’re doing to the core, leaving developers with extra work to handle in the name of utilizing AI. People who are definitely reaping the AI benefits to the fullest are the experts who know exactly what they’re doing and what they’re trying to output.
A recent report I can no longer find for some reason shows how investment experts made at least 60% more money than the regular individual using AI to make the same investment. The individual made money as well, but not as much as the expert who clearly understands what they’re doing and has a strong root in the fundamentals.
The people who will reap the benefits are those who are really good at what they do and have a clear understanding of what they need to use AI for. If you jump in without understanding programming languages or having any fundamentals, you’re just setting yourself up for frustration, a lot of wasted time, and repetitive work you’re trying to avoid.
The journey is interesting, as there will be lots of cool AI tools shipped this year. You just have to make sure you’re ready for them.