AI Didn't Commoditize Design. Designers Did.

About this episode

Symon discusses the impact of AI on design and the commoditization of design practices.

We built the design systems. We optimized the workflows. We made it repeatable, scalable, and maintainable. And then we were surprised when AI could action most of it. In this solo episode, Symon revisits a talk he gave at DesignTO in January 2020 — before the world got weird — on the future of design, commoditization, and technology. The core argument holds up. Maybe more than ever. If you're a designer, founder, or product person trying to figure out where value actually lives in an age of AI, this one's for you.

People in this episode

Host: Symon

Topics covered

• AI in design
• commoditization
• design systems
• technology
• value in design

Keywords

• AI
• design
• commoditization
• technology
• workflows
• value

More episodes of A Digital Strategy Podcast

• The 5 Website Principles Most Companies Get Wrong · June 12, 2026 · 19 min
• Don't Build a Design System Until You See These 3 Signals · June 5, 2026 · 14 min
• The Truth About Agency Growth, Pricing, and Why Agencies Fail | ft. Eli Rubel · May 22, 2026 · 38 min
• What a Design System Actually Is (Explained by Someone Who Builds One) · May 15, 2026 · 26 min
• Why people don't trust your business · May 8, 2026 · 19 min
• Design Is on Trial (And the Evidence Is Damning) · April 30, 2026 · 29 min