State of AI

State of AI

in Design

in Design

AI is transforming design. But how, exactly?

Design is at an inflection point. In a remarkably short span, AI has evolved from an experimental curiosity to an indispensable creative partner for designers worldwide. But how are teams adapting—and where are the biggest gaps?

The State of AI in Design report, created by Foundation Capital and Designer Fund, is based on a survey of 400+ designers and conversations with leaders at Stripe, Notion, Anthropic, and more. It explores the real impact of AI on design today, in 2025.

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Key findings

9 out of 10 say AI is a helper

89% of designers say AI has improved their workflow in some way—whether by reducing busywork, generating copy, speeding up early research, or vibe-coding prototypes. For many, it’s not just a curiosity anymore. It’s quickly becoming essential.

Tool fatigue is real

Most designers are using multiple AI tools, but they don’t play nicely together. General-purpose tools like ChatGPT are used often, but bouncing between standalone apps and disjointed workflows can be slow, distracting, and unproductive for collaboration.

Tool fatigue is real

Most designers are using multiple AI tools, but they don’t play nicely together. General-purpose tools like ChatGPT are used often, but bouncing between standalone apps and disjointed workflows can be slow, distracting, and unproductive for collaboration.

Exploration is AI’s sweet spot

Teams are turning to AI most in the early phases of their workflow: research, ideation, and strategy. 84% use it occasionally or regularly during Exploration, compared to 68% in the Creation phase and 39% during Delivery.

Exploration is AI’s sweet spot

Teams are turning to AI most in the early phases of their workflow: research, ideation, and strategy. 84% use it occasionally or regularly during Exploration, compared to 68% in the Creation phase and 39% during Delivery.

Designers are self-taught

Formal training is the exception, not the rule. 96% of designers say they’ve learned AI through self-teaching, via side projects, peer tips, or social media. Internal training, structured workshops, and formal tool onboarding are still rare, despite the spread of AI-first mandates.

Startups lead the way

Designers at early-stage companies are more than twice as likely to fully adopt AI into their workflow compared to larger organizations. Unburdened by security and legal bottlenecks, they're able to move faster and experiment with far more tools.

Startups lead the way

Designers at early-stage companies are more than twice as likely to fully adopt AI into their workflow compared to larger organizations. Unburdened by security and legal bottlenecks, they're able to move faster and experiment with far more tools.

The ceiling is still human

AI is great for getting started, but not always for crossing the finish line. Many said AI-generated visuals and prototypes are "good enough but not perfect". That last 40%—the nuance, quality, and polish—still belongs to human hands.

The ceiling is still human

AI is great for getting started, but not always for crossing the finish line. Many said AI-generated visuals and prototypes are "good enough but not perfect". That last 40%—the nuance, quality, and polish—still belongs to human hands.

Featured talk

At SXSW, Steve Vassallo, GP at Foundation Capital, and Katie Dill, Head of Design at Stripe, discussed how AI is transforming design workflows, what new possibilities it's unlocking, and which emerging tools are gaining traction.

Get access to the complete report

What you'll receive:

  • A snapshot of how design is evolving inside fast-moving teams

  • Where AI opportunities lie for design leaders and teams

  • Tactics and frameworks for adapting to this new reality

Why we wrote this

Since 2014, Foundation Capital and Designer Fund have partnered around a shared conviction: design has the power to create 100x-better products and businesses that endure. We invest in founders who also hold this belief, often before there's revenue or even a line of code. This year, we joined forces again to investigate AI’s impact on every dimension of design: learn what tools are being adopted, how design work is evolving, and where teams are hitting roadblocks. This report is the result of that exploration. Whether you’re a designer, a founder,

or just curious about what’s coming, we hope it offers clarity, insight, and direction.

Come see what we found,

Steve Vassallo, General Partner at Foundation Capital
Ben Blumenrose, Managing Partner at Designer Fund

Foundation capital

Foundation capital

Foundation capital

Designer fund

Designer fund

Designer fund