Ian Silber, OpenAI's head of product design, says designers face uncertainty because nobody knows what the role now requires, though engineers already absorbed a similar shift.
Ian Silber argues the human element of design, understanding users and holding a point of view, grows more valuable as anyone can now build software.
Ian Silber says AI already makes an incredible product designer, though not the best visual designer or typographer, and its strength is accessibility.
AI makes design faster, and human judgment matters more
AI is changing what designers are asked to do, and that explains the anxiety in the field. Ian Silber argues it is still the best time to be a designer. Prototyping is now fast and anyone can build software, so the lasting value lies in understanding users and having a point of view. Teams that adapt can do far more, while those that do not shift will be left behind.
Takeaways
Designers feel uneasy because their role is unclear. Lenny's survey finds designers the unhappiest tech workers on every measure. Ian calls that understandable, since classically trained designers may feel they must change everything. Engineers already made that shift, while design still needs many attempts, feedback and alignment at large companies.
Designers gain speed, though not engineers' tenfold. Designers are more productive and can do far more, but not 10X like engineers, because the process still means trying many things and discarding most. Some OpenAI work now goes from idea to shipped in four hours.
Human judgment becomes the scarce design skill. Designers can prototype quickly now, and anybody can make software. Understanding users and holding a point of view therefore matter more. Ian argues this makes the present the best time in history to be a designer.
Product, engineering and design roles are blurring. Marc Andreessen describes a standoff where each function expects the others to vanish. Ian says big companies still need distinct roles, such as a strong PM to rally teams, while startups should hire the best generalists who move fluidly.
AI designs well but struggles with the novel. Ian calls AI an incredible product designer, strongest on accessibility, though not the best visual designer or typographer. The Codex PM notes great design does something new and training data is scarce. Ian cites multitouch, Instagram and Snapchat as breaks with precedent.
ChatGPT must serve beginners and power users. Users range from free daily visitors to people paying hundreds of dollars, so the default stays simple while advanced features serve power users. Tappable follow-ups and writing blocks ease the blank box problem, and ChatGPT will grow more proactive using context like calendar and Slack.
OpenAI hires curious designers, not AI specialists. OpenAI treats itself as a research lab and looks for designers without AI backgrounds who are curious about the tools. Senior and early-career designers alike are excited by the freedom to try bad ideas.
Ian's advice for designers
Focus on outcomes rather than process.
Be humble about AI, since new models arrive almost daily across the labs.
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On this episode 2
Show 1
Find peers who face similar challenges.
Share how you work with AI, because showing your process helps the design community.
Use tools like ChatGPT Work, which runs fully in the cloud, and Codex to visualise late-night ideas.