Ethan MarcotteJun 26, 2024

“Ideally, all of the new Figma AI tools will allow people who are newer to Figma to test ideas more easily while letting those who are more well versed in the app iterate more quickly, according to [Figma’s chief product officer].” — https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/26/24183730/figma-ai-tools-app-redesign-slides

that isn’t how this works

that isn’t how any of this works

Figma announces big redesign with AI

Figma is adding new generative AI tools to help people more easily make projects in the popular design app. It’s also adding a slides feature and introducing a redesign.

The Verge
Show threadEthan MarcotteJun 26, 2024
the best time to read ursula franklin was thirty years ago; the second best time is today
Show threadEthan MarcotteJul 3, 2024

“Even if you’d be doing work for free as a fresh designer-to-be, the back-and-forth with you is more messy and laborious than the AI designer who responds instantly and churns out 3 more variants with a click on a little sparkle icon.”

A really moving look at how automation inevitably leads to deskilling: https://sdw.space/figma-ai-and-lost-jobs/

Design deserves better than Figma AI

Figma was the latest company to mishandle AI and design — foreshadowing the loss of a vast array of design jobs. We should demand better from our tools and industry.

sdw space — Sebastiaan de With
Show threadEthan MarcotteJul 3, 2024
Your occasional reminder that “this tool frees you from performing mundane tasks” is just code for “we’re not going to pay you for that kind of work any more.”
Show threadDan HultonJul 3, 2024

@beep Here's another article talking about that same phenomenon, only maybe at a higher level, where automation is just one of the techniques used to commodify workers: https://www.baldurbjarnason.com/2024/react-electron-llms-labour-arbitrage/

It has given me a lot to chew on lately.

React, Electron, and LLMs have a common purpose: the labour arbitrage theory of dev tool popularity

Writing at the end of the world, from Hveragerði, Iceland

Show threadEthan Marcotte
@danhulton Thanks so much, Dan — I loved that piece. (Deeply grateful Baldur mentioned my book toward the end, too.)
Jul 3, 2024 at 7:48pmWeb
Show threadDan HultonJul 3, 2024
@beep Hahaha oh wow I did not notice that at all! My head was spinning enough at the concepts that when he mentioned your book at the end, I must've just zoned out because it's already on the reading list.
Show threadEthan MarcotteJul 3, 2024
@danhulton Oh my goodness, no worries! It’s a meaty essay, and my book’s far from the best part about it.