A new forecasting report titled “AI 2027” presents a sobering outlook: by 2027, we could see superhuman coders, widespread job displacement across all remote knowledge work, and a society grappling with these changes.
Key predictions from AI 2027 include:
- AI agents will replace junior software engineers by 2026.
- The design sector will follow suit, as AI tools automate most user experience flows, Figma work, and prototyping.
- The winners in this landscape will be those who can manage AI workflows, rather than just create designs.
The report states, “For almost every white-collar profession, there are now multiple credible startups promising to ‘disrupt’ it with AI.”
Currently, AI can perform about 80% of what junior designers do today. As a result, human jobs will shift from creation to curation and oversight. The role of “Design QA” is likely to emerge as a legitimate job title, and quickly.
- Translating nuance into briefs.
- Making ethical trade-offs.
- Designing for edge cases, emotions, and context.
- Building trust, not just screens.
