I keep seeing two completely opposite takes on AI in design and i genuinely dont know which one is closer to reality
take 1: “AI is making designers more productive and creative. we can prototype faster, explore more ideas, and focus on higher-level thinking instead of pixel pushing”
take 2: “AI is eliminating entry-level design jobs. why hire a junior to make social media graphics when canva+AI does it in seconds? the career ladder is being pulled up”
both feel true simultaneously? like yeah AI makes experienced designers faster. but also yeah the simple tasks that juniors used to learn on are getting automated.
what i see in my own work as a web designer: AI handles the grunt work (generating placeholder content, suggesting layouts, creating initial mockups) while i handle the strategic decisions, client communication, and quality control. my output per week has probably doubled.
but when i was starting out, those “grunt work” tasks were how i learned. if AI had been doing them for me, would i have developed the same skills?
real question for seniors: are you still hiring juniors? has AI changed what you look for in entry-level candidates?
and for juniors: are you finding it harder to get that first job? what are you doing to stand out when AI can do the basics?