Figma’s new research shows what many teams are feeling: roles are blurring, skills are converging, and design is becoming the throughline for how work gets done. Andrew Hogan, Head of Insights at Figma, breaks down exclusively for the Collective what’s changing in our roles and why that matters.

Many of us have the sense that we work differently since discovering generative AI. But, in what ways? And what effects is that change having?

Now, new research from Figma sheds fresh light and offers lessons for many fields. The findings: skills are converging, roles are blurring, and clearly defined lanes are giving way to something far more fluid. The study drew on insights from ~1,200 respondents in the United States, supported by 50 in-depth interviews, and examined 67 tasks spanning design, development, marketing, QA, and more.

Ninety-one (91%) percent of respondents say they’ve taken on a major new responsibility in the past 12 months, ranging from product design to engineering. Fifty-eight (58%) percent report adding more than five new tasks to their roles, and 55% say they are doing work previously done by someone else. On average, respondents report they’re now doing 17.5% more than in the past.

The result is a steady broadening of scope and a blurring between functions that used to feel distinct. Respondents feel—as many of us do—that aided by AI tools they have new skills and abilities. They can create, do more, and even communicate their ideas more effectively with their colleagues.

But when it’s easier to create something, it’s even more important to infuse meaning and make people care. That’s the role of design, and this research shows design is not just expanding to more people but becoming the differentiator.

Source: “Are roles and responsibilities a thing of the past?” by Andrew Hogan and Matt Walker, published September 10, 2025.

One of the most striking findings is that participation in design tasks like prototyping, visual creation, and brand exploration grew the most. Designers themselves are doing more, with a ten percentage point increase in design responsibilities compared to last year. But the story doesn’t stop there. Non-designers are also leaning into design work. Fifty-six (56%) percent say they engage “a lot” or “a great deal” in at least one design-centric task, up twelve points from last year.

This shift shows up in everyday work. PMs can use Figma Make to prompt their way to a functional prototype. Marketers are mocking up visuals in Figma Design or generating a mood board in FigJam. Engineers are exploring interactions and bringing design code from Figma into their development environment. The message is clear: design literacy is no longer optional. It is becoming a shared requirement across product teams. Going beyond brand design. Beyond digital product design. Beyond prototyping. Design is now the connective tissue of product development.

Source: “Are roles and responsibilities a thing of the past?” by Andrew Hogan and Matt Walker, published September 10, 2025.

The expansion of responsibilities is closely tied to AI. Seventy-two (72%) percent of respondents cited AI-powered tools as the top factor impacting their ways of working in the prior 12 months. Already, people are spending 19% of their time with AI tools—7% reviewing, 12% co-creating—and expect this to reach 27% by May 2026.

Enthusiasm is high. Sixty-eight percent (68%) say they are more productive and efficient, and 63% say they are excited to use AI. Yet expertise still matters. More than half—53%—say deep knowledge is needed to perform tasks well, even with AI. A smaller group, 24%, believe AI reduces the need for expertise. This tension underscores a key question: how should training and workflows evolve to preserve judgment and craft while taking advantage of AI’s speed?

The impact of these shifts is being felt in how people spend their time. Fifty-seven (57%) percent of respondents say they are spending more time on higher-value and strategic work, while only 19% say they are spending more time on execution. For those building products, this shift creates space to focus on quality, detail, and user experience while AI and integrated tools handle more routine work.

As one product manager explained:

If AI has expanded what people can do, it has also expanded the number of tools they are expected to use. Seventy-one (71%) percent of respondents say they are now using more software as a direct result of role shifts, with respondents reporting that they juggle an average of 7.6 different tools. With so many new platforms, the effectiveness of each one gets diluted.

As one design expert said:

It’s not just design:

The frustration is real, but so is the eagerness to learn. For leaders, the challenge is not to chase every new tool but to critically assess which ones actually support efficiency, growth, and the most important work.

Even as AI accelerates how much can be produced, respondents are clear that human expertise is still required. Sixty-three (63%) percent agree that their role requires a human touch. Developers refine AI-generated code into scalable systems. Designers and PMs bring taste to prototypes and visuals. Writers adapt AI copy for nuance and meaning. As one UX writer put it:

As AI capabilities evolve, the value of craft, taste, and discernment will only grow.

Taken together, these findings point to a clear pattern: skills are converging, roles are blurring, and AI is accelerating both trends. Expertise is not disappearing—it is shifting. What matters most now is how humans and AI work together, and how much organizations choose to invest in judgment, craft, and design quality.

The catalyst is unmistakable: design is becoming the key differentiator. Design is what transforms a functional idea into something memorable and meaningful: it’s broader than brand, product design, or an activity like prototyping, As AI lowers the barrier to creation, it is the details, judgment, and craft of design that separate products, messages, and brands that simply exist from those that truly stand out.

The Byte is The AI Collective’s insight series highlighting non-obvious AI trends and the people uncovering them, curated by Noah Frank and Josh Evans. Questions or pitches: [email protected].

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About Andrew Hogan

Andrew Hogan leads Insights at Figma. His research focuses on the digital product and design industry and the ways the most successful teams work. Previously, Andrew spent 7 years at Forrester, a leading research firm, analyzing the intersection of design and tech.