We need Responsible Designers

Image Courtesy : Microsoft Designer

I had an incredible opportunity to speak at Medium Day 2024 on the topic of “Driving Design in the Age of AI.”

In today’s world, where Data Science and Artificial Intelligence dominate, the design community faces a crucial question: How can design remain relevant?

While adopting a “learn it all” mindset is a good starting point, it raises challenges about what to learn and how much to learn. Designers don’t need to become AI experts, but they must understand enough to collaborate effectively with engineers and data scientists. They should also study the world to better understand the positive and negative consequences of AI and help chart a path toward a better future.

In my talk, I highlighted a few key points:

1. Generative AI and Environmental Impact: Training a single AI model can emit over 626,000 pounds of CO2 equivalent, which is costly to the planet.
2. Promises and Concerns of Generative AI: While generative AI shows a lot of promise, there are concerns related to CO2 emissions, income inequalities, data privacy, ethical issues, and inclusivity.
3. Misuse of AI: Many companies and individuals are wasting money on “cool” AI projects, like content creation, deep fakes, voice modulation, fancy images, videos, and chatbots. Is this the real opportunity with AI, or is…