Introduction: Will AI Replace Designers?
It’s a question many people are asking today. Artificial intelligence is advancing fast—very fast. New tools are launching every week, sometimes impressively so. But should we really be afraid that the role of the designer is disappearing?
In my view, no. The role of the designer is evolving, not disappearing. We need to learn how to use these tools, integrate them into our workflow, and stay curious. AI is here to assist us, not to think for us. What matters most is keeping our perspective, our critical thinking, and our ability to imagine.
In this article, I’m sharing 5 concrete examples of how AI is being used in the daily work of UX/UI designers. These are real, simple, and effective use cases—either used in our web agency or spotted over the past few weeks. It’s not an exhaustive list, but it illustrates how AI can become a real asset in our day-to-day work.
1. Relume: Generate a Sitemap and Wireframe in Minutes
Relume is one of the pioneers of AI-assisted design. You simply write a prompt describing the site you want to create, select the number of pages, and the tool automatically generates a structured sitemap.
Each section can then be adjusted with more context, and you can generate a complete wireframe based on that structure. At Digidop, we use Relume to save time during the page structure phase. The wireframes are still basic, but the component library is constantly growing, making the tool more and more relevant.
2. ChatGPT: An Excellent Copywriter
Content writing is often the step that slows down a project. We wait for the client’s copy before moving forward. ChatGPT allows you to flip that logic. By providing as much context as possible (industry, website goals, planned architecture, desired tone…), it can generate a solid first draft.
Here’s a simple method:
- Give a brief overview of the company
- Describe the page structure
- Specify the page’s objectives and main message
Result: ChatGPT writes the entire content, page by page. You can adjust, rephrase, refine. The more context you give it, the better the output.
It’s a great starting point to avoid the blank page and spark more concrete conversations with the client.
3. Midjourney: Rapidly Explore Creative Directions
Midjourney is the perfect tool for visual experimentation. It lets you generate ideas, explore graphic styles, or quickly create visual universes.
We often use it to create moodboards, test art directions, or imagine original background visuals (like gradients to illustrate a section). It’s a powerful tool to fuel inspiration and move a project forward faster.
4. ChatGPT for Visuals: Icons, 3D Elements, and Backgrounds
The current version of ChatGPT can also generate visuals—with impressive accuracy in interpreting prompts.
It’s especially useful for:
- Generating SVG-format icons
- Creating simple 3D elements
- Producing custom backgrounds or illustrations
Here are a few concrete examples recently shared:
- https://x.com/ayushsoni_io/status/1905613237321691414
- https://x.com/JCKHLRY/status/1907150370997993907
- https://x.com/bogdan_qclay/status/1907459542213898551
Another advantage: you can directly request the desired format (SVG, JSON, PNG…), making it easy to integrate into Figma or Webflow. And thanks to the conversational format, you can fine-tune the output until it’s exactly what you’re looking for.
5. LottieFiles and Jitter: Easily Animate Your Graphic Elements
LottieFiles remains a go-to tool for animating SVG files. It now includes a touch of AI, making it even easier to create smooth, lightweight vector animations.
For example, you can generate an SVG icon with ChatGPT, then animate it using Lottie. Another option: combine a background image generated with Midjourney and an animated illustration from Lottie to enrich a site section.
It’s a major time-saver for creating micro-interactions or simple animations—without needing After Effects.
Another great option is Jitter, a 100% online solution for animating text, icons, and web components. It allows you to create clean animations, exportable in Lottie, video, or GIF—without any complex software.
Bonus: The First AI Features in Figma (More to Come)
You can’t talk about AI tools for designers without mentioning Figma. In June 2023, they announced an ambitious AI assistant capable of generating mockups, rewriting content, and even suggesting design variations. But so far, that full assistant hasn’t launched.
Instead, Figma has gradually added targeted AI features, grouped into three categories:
- Design Tools: rename layers, replace content, search with image, first draft, interactions.
- Image Editing: boost resolution, make an image.
- Riffing and Writing: rewrite this, shorten, translate to.
These are interesting first steps, though still peripheral in a full design workflow.
On X (formerly Twitter), several leaks suggest that more advanced features are on the way—especially posts by @wongmjane:
Personally, I think a well-integrated AI in Figma could really change how we work day-to-day: automating repetitive tasks, helping create variations, cleaning up files, generating responsive layouts… I’m excited to see what Figma has in store.
Result: A Real Time-Saver in the Design Process
By combining tools like Relume, ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Lottie, we save precious time across all stages of design—ideation, asset creation, content writing, animations… The result: clients no longer start from scratch with their content, which reassures them and makes collaboration smoother. Website design becomes faster, more fluid, and just as relevant—because every step is built on something tangible we can refine together. You save time without ever sacrificing quality.
No more waiting for copy or looking for a motion designer to test a simple animation. You can iterate live, create variations, test directions, and most importantly: get into the real stuff faster.
What used to take days now sometimes takes just a few hours. And this is only the beginning.
Other AI tools are worth keeping an eye on, like:
- Klink, which generates full videos from a text prompt
- Webflow AI, which is starting to offer page generation via a single prompt
These tools are still young or in testing, but they’re clearly part of the landscape to watch closely in the coming months.
Conclusion: Vision Is What Sets You Apart
Artificial intelligence makes creation easier. It lowers technical barriers, speeds up iteration, and helps us move faster. But it doesn’t replace what makes a good designer: vision, intent, and an understanding of both user and business needs.
To stay relevant as a designer, you need to embrace these tools, stay curious, and explore relentlessly. Those who can combine strategic thinking, creativity, and mastery of these new technologies will gain a real edge.
AI is not a threat. It’s an opportunity. It’s up to us to make the most of it.
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