Will Product Designers Become Obsolete?

With rapid advancement in tech and artificial intelligence (AI) seeping into nearly every aspect of our lives, the question is frequently asked, will technology outgrow and render some human jobs obsolete? For those engaged in tech and product design specifically, this topic of AI-fueled job obsolescence has sparked conversations.

So, will product designers become obsolete?

Understanding the Basics: Product Designers' Role

To understand this, we need first to explore what product designers do. Product designers, in simple terms, are digital architects. They develop an online experience, just as architects build physical structures. For an e-commerce site, product designers ensure user-friendly shopping carts, secure checkout procedures, and quick site loading times. The bottom line: a product designer provides a human touch, creating seamless and engaging experiences on the internet.

Imagine entering a well-designed library, everything in perfect order, user-friendly signs, comfortable seating areas, good lighting - creating an ideal ambiance to spend hours lost in books. Similarly, a product designer, through their work, ensures you can efficiently navigate a website, the information you need is easily accessible, the visual aesthetic is pleasing, and overall, your interaction with the site is effortless and enjoyable.

The Power of AI in Product Design

Without a doubt, AI is infiltrating the realm of  design. Various online services use AI to design websites based on users' provided information. They've democratized product design, enabling even those with zero design skills to produce competent, aesthetically pleasing sites. In comparison, they're like DIY flatpack furniture kits - provide the right inputs, follow the instructions, and you get a functional product.

However, as convenient as this sounds, AI's role in product design isn't yet perfect. Using the previous analogy, what happens if you need a specific bookshelf for your living room? Something to fit that odd corner space that furniture can't accommodate. This is where product designers’ human touch and understanding come in - interpreting what users really want and making those subtle adjustments AI cannot comprehend.

Why Product Designers Are Irreplaceable

The idea that product designers could become obsolete with the rise of AI is akin to thinking that microwave meals could eliminate the need for chefs or restaurants. Microwavable meals offer quick, affordable sustenance, but they'll never match the craft and personal touch that a trained chef brings to creating a gastronomic masterpiece.

A chef has the ability to tweak ingredients, vary cooking times and methods, garnish and present meals in a manner that captures not only taste buds but hearts. In the same way, product designers craft the digital realm with artistry and skill that surpasses the scope of automated systems.

Furthermore, a designer brings cultural understanding, emotions, and empathy to their work - human elements that robots can't duplicate. Websites often need a human-centric approach for design decisions.

Changing Not Vanishing

Does that mean product designers can rest easy knowing they are irreplaceable? Not necessarily. The demand for traditional product designers might decrease due to the advent of AI, but the role of a product designer is evolving rather than disappearing.

Instead of purely focusing on aesthetics, the future product designers will work more on understanding user needs and business goals, interpreting data, and creating not just an aesthetically pleasing website but a functional site based on the data available. Essentially, product designers' future lies in merging technological innovation with a deep understanding of human psychology to create more personalized user experiences.

Just like architects didn’t become obsolete with the invention of digital design tools but adapted to incorporate them, product designers need to expand their skill sets to include a deeper understanding of the ever-changing digital landscape and the psychology of users interacting within it.

The Real Answer

So, to the question, will product designers become obsolete? The answer is a clear no, but the role will change. They will remain invaluable as long as they adapt, continually learn, and integrate the technology at their disposal to serve users better.

After all, designing a website is more than creating an aesthetically pleasing interface - it’s about constructing a comfortable and efficient digital home for users, an ambition that remains resolutely human.