Anna Cole, 8 November 2023

AI and content design in 2024

As we approach 2024, conversations in the content design community about artificial intelligence (AI) are moving on.

 

AI’s transformative impact on all the technology we interact with is now a daily reality. Inevitably, that’s going to shape the way we create and design user experiences.

 

Getting ahead on AI through the user experience community

Config 23 is just one example of how the AI discussion in the international design community changed rapidly from 2022 to 2023.

 

At the annual global conference organised by design tool company Figma, designers, developers and product managers shared the latest design thinking.

 

Below are three key takeaways from industry professionals on the direction AI conversations are heading.

 

What we learned about AI’s future

1. Understand the limitations of AI

AI brings opportunity, threat and responsibility. To make good use of AI, you’ll need a dose of healthy scepticism and to know the right way to use it.

 

Jane Davis (Great Question) started with bad news about AI.

 

Downsides to AI and content design

It can:

  • devalue creative work
  • be outdated, incorrect and fail to credit sources
  • raise privacy concerns
  • be biased
  • set unrealistic expectations

How content design can make best use of AI

Despite these limitations, Davis said content designers could:

  • nurture our creative spark: AI requires human interaction for prompting, so the creator’s role is essential and distinct
  • always verify AI output for accuracy and integrity
  • provide our teams frameworks and guidance about integrating AI into content
  • plan for data bias: AI systems learn from training data that may reflect biased human decisions or inequalities

Most notably, Davis said content designers also need to know how to set expectations to avoid anyone saying “Can’t we just use ChatGPT to write that for us?”.

 

2. Hone your skills to be part of the AI future

Davis also talked about the emergence of “creative generalists” who can bridge the boundaries of art, science, technology, and the humanities.

 

More creative generalists means that diverse and novel skillsets are emerging as AI creates new jobs.

 

Develop your innovative skills to work with AI

According to Davis, the future is about:

  • navigating complexity
  • adapting to change
  • thinking holistically

Content designers who master these multiple skills and generative AI can bring together cross-functional teams.

 

AI skills can, for Davis, create strong communication, fostering collaboration and alignment across departments.

 

Use your skills to be part of the AI revolution

Ryan Reid from Figma discussed how content designers need to maintain a broad perspective on emerging AI opportunities.

 

What that actually means is seeing the big picture of how AI will change everything.

 

Developing your skills as a content designer is not just about keeping your job. In a world of AI a skilled content designer will be essential to developing future user experiences.

 

As Reid said:

 

“With more and more tools, programmes, and systems allowing broader audiences to design, content designers must evolve their skillsets if they’re to remain essential.”

 

3. Become more productive with AI

In their Config 23 talk Scott Belsky and Brooke Hopper from Adobe focused on how AI is people-empowering.

 

As Belsky and Hopper pointed out, ChatGPT, an AI software developed by OpenAI, has revolutionised content design.

 

ChatGPT’s ability to speed through data can, as they revealed, save us valuable time on manual research.

 

How ChatGPT saves content designers time

Using ChatGPT allows content designers to:

  • brainstorm: generate ideas to help you get over the ‘blank page’ problem
  • cluster: make sense of large sets of information and summarise to assist in complex decision-making
  • synthesise: draw out essential user needs from multiple data inputs to make prioritised decisions about what to do next
  • create: see alternatives and variations, and explore changes quickly
  • predict: surface recommendations for you to build creating timely and relevant content

Making the most of content design expertise through ChatGPT

Belsky and Hopper highlighted how ChatGPT, used properly, frees up content designers to spend more time on:

  • creative ideating
  • designing strategy
  • the end user experience

Anyone who’s been able to make use of ChatGPT will see that AI can aid content designers productivity. However, Belsky and Hopper showed that AI will also increase the need for experienced content design expertise and judgment.

 

From what we’re seeing in our community, AI won’t replace content designers. However, those who know how to use it effectively could replace those who don’t.

 

As Noah Levin of Figma said:

 

“We can be part of this conversation if we stay curious, vigilant, proactive and optimistic.”

 

Get in touch so you can AI tools to improve your content.

 

Find out more

View videos from Config 2023, including:

 

‘A Long Rope and a Handful of Knots: Emergent Best Practices in AI-Assisted Design and Research‘ – Jane Davis (Great Question)

 

‘Content design at Figma’ – Ryan Reid (Figma)

 

‘AI and the future of Design: Designing with AI’ – Noah Levin (Figma) Jordan Singer, Andrew Pouliot and Vincent van der Meulen (Diagram)

 

AI and empowering creative careers, Scott Belsky and Brooke Hopper (Adobe)