Figma Temporarily Disables the AI Design Tool!

• Figma’s AI design tool, “Make Design,” is temporarily disabled due to concerns about plagiarism.
• The issue highlights the challenges of balancing innovation and quality assurance in AI-powered tools.
• The incident sparks broader discussions about the role of AI in the design industry and its potential impact on creativity and copyright.

Figma has temporarily deactivated the “Make Design” AI feature following accusations of design plagiarism from Apple’s Weather app. NotBoring Software founder, Andy Allen, discovered the issue, prompting concerns about the tool’s training data and potential legal implications for users.

Figma’s AI Design Tool Raises Plagiarism Concerns

“Make Design,” introduced at Figma’s Config conference, allows users to generate UI layouts from text prompts. While initially promising a streamlined design process, the tool’s output raised questions about originality when it repeatedly produced designs resembling Apple’s Weather app.

Figma Addresses Accusations and Prioritizes Quality Assurance

Field denies accusations of training the tool on existing apps and attributes the issue to the underlying design systems. He acknowledges a lack of rigorous quality assurance and takes responsibility for the oversight. To address the problem, Figma has temporarily disabled “Make Design” until a thorough review is completed.

Industry Concerns and the Future of AI in Design

The incident highlights ongoing debates about the impact of AI on the design industry, with concerns ranging from job displacement to the potential for unintentional copyright infringement. While some designers see AI as a tool for efficiency, others worry about its implications for creativity and originality.