Figma Relaunches AI Design Tool Previously Pulled for Copying Apple

AI-powered design tool relaunches with new features: Figma’s generative AI tool for app design, previously called Make Designs, is returning as First Draft after being temporarily removed due to concerns about copying existing designs.

• The tool was initially pulled after users demonstrated its ability to create designs closely resembling Apple’s iPhone weather app, despite Figma’s assurance that it wasn’t trained on customer data.
• First Draft is currently available in a limited beta, along with Figma’s other AI features.
• The relaunch includes new options for designers, allowing them to choose from four libraries depending on their specific needs and desired level of detail.

Key updates and functionality: First Draft now offers more flexibility and customization options to address previous concerns and enhance its utility for designers.

• Users can select from libraries ranging from wireframing for less opinionated, low-fidelity primitives to higher-fidelity libraries for more detailed visual expressions and patterns.
• This update complements Figma’s Visual Search feature, which allows users to search their Figma files using prompts or images to find existing files or components.
• The tool aims to provide a more exploratory and versatile approach to the initial stages of design creation.

Technical details and AI implementation: Figma has provided more information about how First Draft operates, emphasizing its use of off-the-shelf AI models and proprietary design systems.

• The tool utilizes AI models such as OpenAI’s GPT-4 and Amazon Titan, combining them with Figma’s context and user prompts.
• Figma’s proprietary mobile and desktop design systems, which include numerous components and assembly examples, form the context for the AI’s operations.
• Users input their design goals as prompts, and the AI selects, arranges, and customizes design system components accordingly to create a starting point for designs.

Privacy and data usage considerations: Figma has reiterated its commitment to user privacy and clarified its data practices in response to previous concerns.

• The company emphasizes that First Draft does not train on customer content, addressing one of the main concerns that led to the tool’s initial removal.
• By using off-the-shelf AI models and proprietary design systems, Figma aims to maintain the tool’s functionality while respecting user data privacy.

Broader context in AI-assisted design: The relaunch of First Draft reflects the ongoing evolution of AI tools in the design industry and the challenges companies face in balancing innovation with ethical considerations.

• The incident with Apple’s weather app design highlights the fine line between inspiration and copying in AI-generated designs, a concern that extends beyond Figma to the broader design and AI communities.
• Figma’s approach to addressing these concerns through redesign and increased transparency could set a precedent for how other companies handle similar issues in the future.

Looking ahead: Implications for designers and the industry: The reintroduction of First Draft with enhanced features and clearer guidelines may signal a new phase in the integration of AI tools in design workflows.

• As AI-assisted design tools become more sophisticated and widely adopted, designers may need to adapt their skills and processes to effectively leverage these new capabilities.
• The ongoing development of such tools could potentially democratize certain aspects of design, making it more accessible to non-designers while also raising questions about the future role of human designers in the creative process.