Designers must prioritize judgement over technique in the age of AI

In a recent opinion piece for It's Nice That, Andrew Shea, associate professor at Parsons School of Design and co-director of the Lab for AI, Ethics, and Creative Labor, argues that the rise of AI in design threatens creative instinct by automating not just execution but also ideation. He contends that judgement, not technique, is now the practitioner's most important contribution, yet AI makes it easier than ever to bypass that judgement. Shea draws parallels to past technological shifts, such as the introduction of page layout software like Adobe and QuarkXPress, which initially sparked fears but ultimately became standard tools. He highlights the 'Turing Trap' concept from economist Erik Brynjolfsson, which warns against using AI merely to imitate humans rather than augment their capabilities. The piece emphasizes the importance of protecting human judgement and agency, citing concerns about intellectual property, concentration of power, and environmental impact. Shea calls for educators to prioritize history, theory, and critique in design curricula, and for practitioners to organize collectively, as writers and filmmakers have done. He references the California job case, a wooden tray used in letterpress printing, as a reminder that tools are provisional and that the judgement they served can survive their obsolescence. The article concludes that the technology cannot decide for designers; they must build the instinct to push back and retain authorship over their work.