Business leaders say professional designers should not feel threatened by the growth of generative AI. This comes even as fears about job losses spread across creative industries.
Mat Hunter, chief executive of the Design Council, said designers are already using AI tools. He said they use the technology to add value to their work, not to replace their skills.
Hunter said technology has always changed how people work. He added that the design industry has the imagination to find new opportunities as AI tools spread.
Deborah Dawton, chief executive of the Design Business Association, agreed. She said skill, experience and a deep understanding of a sector are what protect designers from being replaced.
What the research shows
A survey by The King's Institute for Artificial Intelligence and the Policy Institute found 57% of the public believe AI will lead to widespread unemployment. Some freelance designers have told reporters they are already picking up work fixing errors made by AI tools.
Despite these concerns, the Design Council's own data tells a different story. The UK design sector grew 40% between 2019 and the end of 2023.
That growth outpaced the wider economy, which expanded by 23% over the same period. The sector also grew larger than the UK retail industry during that time.
The council's Design Economy 2026 report found that construction, services and manufacturing now support 2.27 million design jobs. Employment in these areas rose 15% between 2020 and 2025.
These figures predate the rise of tools like ChatGPT and Claude. Even so, early data suggests AI has not yet reduced demand for design workers.
Skills shortage seen as bigger risk
Hunter said a shortage of skilled workers is a bigger problem for the industry than AI. Entries for design and technology GCSEs fell 68% over the decade to 2024.
Dawton said schools need specialist teachers and equipment to train the next generation of designers. She said this is needed to keep the industry growing.
Andrew Duff, head of the Society of Garden and Landscape Designers, said many workers in his field are nervous about AI. He said firms are more likely to use AI as an assistant than as a replacement for staff.
Dawton compared the shift to when computer-aided design software first displaced draughtspeople. She said workers found new roles as the industry grew around the change.
Regional growth in design income varied widely across the UK. Wales saw an 88% rise in design income, and the north-east of England saw a 67% increase.
The south-east remains the largest hub for the design industry. It generated £43.3bn in gross value added, compared with £3.1bn in the north-east.
The UK design sector's total contribution reached £136.7bn. That is larger than the UK retail sector and close to double the accommodation and food service industry.
