Figma’s 2025 AI report shows that AI is no longer a novelty in design; it’s reshaping how we work, raising expectations, and making design skills more valuable than ever. Designers are using AI mainly for research and speed, but quality still depends on their judgment and creativity. Building for AI introduces new complexity, from prototyping challenges to designing agentic systems, and success comes from close collaboration and adaptability. Now’s the time for designers to experiment and shape how AI fits into their work.
Why this report matters
Figma’s 2025 AI report takes a clear look at how AI is reshaping product development, not just for the teams building AI-powered products, but also for the designers and developers using AI in their day-to-day work.
By surveying 2,500 designers and developers across industries and team sizes, the report captures how AI is influencing everything from early discovery and design to final delivery. It highlights both the promise of automation and efficiency, as well as the uncertainty and growing pains that come with rapid adoption.
Inside the research
The report is based on a survey of 2,500 designers and developers across seven countries, conducted in January 2025. Participants represented a diverse range of industries and company sizes, offering a year-over-year perspective on how AI is transforming workflows, products, and collaboration.
*“Vibe coding” is not mentioned in this report.
The conversation about AI in design has moved past hype. It’s no longer a question of whether AI will shape our work but how—and how fast. This year’s report offers a grounded view of what’s happening across design teams, workflows, and products. For UX designers, the message is clear: AI isn’t just another tool; it’s reshaping expectations and raising the bar for thoughtful design.
Let’s review some takeaways.
1. AI skills are becoming essential for every designer
conducting more user testing, determining how much of the AI to reveal, and exploring ways to make the AI’s decision-making process The good news? Design isn’t going anywhere; it’s becoming even more valuable. More than half of AI builders consider design to be more important for AI-powered products than for traditional ones, and nearly all agree that it’s at least as critical.
2. Core design principles still work, but adaptability is key
AI’s unpredictability has shifted how designers work, but the fundamentals still hold. Best practices, such as rapid iteration, user research, and close collaboration with engineers, remain crucial. What’s changed is the level of flexibility expected. Eighty-one percent of successful teams say building AI products feels significantly different from building non-AI products.
As one designer put it, working on AI products means being “more tech-led” than usual. Generative AI’s unpredictability calls for experimentation, even as we rely on timeless design principles.
3. Designing for AI introduces new complexity
Designing for AI introduces challenges that aren’t part of traditional product design. Teams are conducting more user testing, determining how much of the AI to reveal, and exploring ways to make the AI’s decision-making process clearer. Designers are constantly asking: How much should users see? How do we explain what’s happening behind the scenes? How do we keep a human in control?
Prototyping comes with challenges. Because AI’s behavior is probabilistic, realistic prototypes are tough to create. This means more iteration and deeper collaboration, but also opens the door to new ways of testing and validating ideas.
4. Close collaboration is non-negotiable
Seventy-five percent of successful teams report close collaboration between design and development, extending even to those building the AI models. Designers are influencing user experience earlier than ever, shaping how models interact with people from the start.
The report also highlights agentic AI as the fastest-growing product category. These tools act independently, making multi-step decisions, and they demand thoughtful, nuanced UX work. Designers who develop their skills here now will be well ahead of the curve as demand increases.
5. AI is speeding up design but not improving quality yet
AI is making designers faster; 78% of respondents say it improves efficiency. But quality is a different story. Only 58% of respondents feel AI improves their work quality, and among designers, that number drops to just 40%, compared to 68% of developers.
The takeaway? AI can help us move quickly, but it doesn’t replace sharp thinking, high standards, and strong creative direction.
6. Designers are using AI more for research than creativity
AI is already becoming a trusted partner for many designers. In the discovery phase, 38% use AI for desk research, and 40% use it to analyze user data. In the design phase, it’s used to generate assets (33%), draft interfaces (22%), and explore layouts or themes (21%).
The picture is clear: AI is helping teams move faster and explore more options, but designers remain the decision-makers and quality keepers.
To make this report even easier to put into action, here’s a quick FAQ based on its key insights, perfect for bookmarking or sharing with your team.
Frequently asked questions
How important is it to learn AI skills?
Very. Eighty-five percent of respondents, including designers, say learning to work with AI will be crucial for their future success. Ninety-five percent of AI builders see design as at least as important for AI-powered products as traditional ones, with 52% saying it’s even more critical.
Does AI reduce the role of design?
No, it elevates it. More than half of AI builders believe that design is more important in AI products than in traditional ones, and enhancing customer experience is a leading goal of AI initiatives, making UX a crucial component.
Do design best practices still work?
Yes, but they need more flexibility. Teams are still relying on research, iteration, and close collaboration, but 81% of successful teams say AI projects feel very different to build, so designers are learning to adapt quickly.
What’s hardest about designing for AI?
Designing and building AI projects presents new challenges, including determining how much to reveal to users, explaining how AI works, and striking a balance between automation and human control. Even prototyping is tougher because AI is unpredictable, so teams often need extra iteration.
How does AI’s unpredictability change prototyping?
Prototyping is challenging because AI doesn’t always behave the same way twice. Unlike traditional products with predictable outputs, generative AI requires more iteration and technical understanding to create prototypes that feel realistic.
Who should designers collaborate with most closely?
Close collaboration is essential. Seventy-five percent of successful teams highlight strong design–development partnerships, and designers need to work closely with the people building AI models to shape user experience decisions early.
Is AI making design work better, or just faster?
For now, it’s mostly about speed. Seventy-eight percent of respondents say AI improves efficiency, but only 40% of designers feel it improves quality, compared to 68% of developers. AI can help you move faster, but design quality still relies on thoughtful oversight.
How are designers using AI today?
Most designers lean on AI for research rather than creative work. In the discovery phase, 38% use AI for desk research and 40% for analyzing data. In design, AI helps generate assets (33%), draft interfaces (22%), and explore layouts or themes (21%).
What AI trends should designers keep an eye on?
Agentic AI is growing fast. These systems can complete multi-step processes on their own and require thoughtful UX design to determine when to check in with users, how to share information, and which interfaces make sense.
How should I start using AI in my own workflow?
Start experimenting. Even if your team hasn’t fully embraced AI, testing tools for research, prototyping, and asset creation now will help you speed up your process and understand their strengths and limitations.
AI is no longer a side note in design; it’s shaping how products are built and how teams collaborate. This year’s report makes it clear: designers who experiment now will have the advantage later.
The tools are here, the expectations are rising, and the space is moving quickly. Start small, test widely, and focus on building the skills that will help you guide AI’s role in your work. The future of design will be shaped by people who stay curious, adapt fast, and keep users at the heart of every decision.
