The question that’s gained traction in recent years: is AI going to take my UX job?
It’s been a popular narrative for a few years now that UX is becoming obsolete. Tools like Framer, Midjourney, and ChatGPT can now generate user flows, wireframes, or even full interfaces in minutes. Figma plugins automate design suggestions and usability best practices. From the outside, it looks like UX is just another task that can be done faster and cheaper without human involvement.
However, UX still matters. More than you think. It’s just that processes and ways of working have changed. But before we explore that, let’s go a little deeper into the question that some of us fear.
Why do some think UX is becoming obsolete?
The rise of no-code creates the perception of less need for UX
Startups and scaleups have started to use no-code tools like Webflow and Bubble to launch MVPs quickly. These platforms come with pre-optimised UI components which give the illusion of ‘built-in UX’. This means that teams ship quickly and don’t see obvious failures, and this leads to products that look polished, but actually miss real user needs – something that no template can solve.
Product-led growth prioritises metrics over experience
Many businesses now adopt a ‘ship fast, iterate later’ approach, focusing on A/B testing and conversion metrics. While this is important, we’re now living in a data-driven culture that often sidelines user research and proper strategy in favour of short-term wins. UX professionals find themselves doing surface-level tweaks rather than deep problem-solving. The result? UX becomes reactive, not strategic, and seen as decoration rather than direction.
The misunderstood role of UX
Lots of stakeholders still confuse UX with UI or visual design. If UX is seen as ‘just wireframes’ or ‘pretty interfaces’, then yes, it does seem obsolete when automation or templates can do that. The deeper, strategic layer of UX (research, systems thinking, problem framing) is invisible to many teams, and is therefore undervalued. This misunderstanding often leads to UX being cut from scope first when budgets tighten.
The idea that UX is becoming irrelevant misses a crucial point: UX isn’t fading, it’s shifting. What used to be a discipline focused on wireframes and usability heuristics is now deeply intertwined with business strategy, data, and product performance.
What’s actually happening?
Outcomes over deliverables
UX is no longer about producing wireframes, sitemaps, or clickable prototypes just to tick boxes. The focus has moved from deliverables to outcomes. Designers and researchers are being asked, “Did this reduce user drop-off?” and “Did this increase conversion?” or “Did it make the product easier to use, and can we prove it?”
Artefacts are still part of the process, but they’re a means to an end – not the end itself!
The rise of UX strategy
UX has outgrown the silo it was once confined to. Now, it’s embedded earlier in the product lifecycle, shaping direction rather than reacting to it. Research isn’t used to test UI decisions – it’s influencing roadmap priorities, identifying user pain points, and helping define market fit. UX professionals are becoming strategic partners, not just executors.
Tech-savvy UX
Modern UX now requires a working understanding of the tech that shapes user expectations. That includes AI and automation, data-informed design, and personalisation engines. UX teams are increasingly collaborating with data scientists and engineers, not just frontend developers.
The UX-product hybrid role
Traditional job titles like “UX Designer” are being blended with roles like “Product Designer” or “UX Strategist” – these roles are aligned with product growth metrics and require fluency in both user needs and business objectives. Good designers are now thinking about retention and lifetime value, not just button placement (which is still very important!)
Three skills that keep you relevant
Systems thinking
UX isn’t just about single screens or standalone features anymore – you need to understand how users move through entire ecosystems, across devices, channels, and time. This means mapping end-to-end journeys, identifying friction points, and designing for flow rather than fragments.
Business literacy
Designing without understanding the business model is simply a dead end – modern UX professionals must grasp KPIs, customer acquisition cost (CAC), retention rates, and even product-market fit. You should be able to explain how your design moves the business forward.
Research fluency
User research isn’t just about running usability tests – it’s about identifying the right questions, choosing appropriate methods, and making sense of messy data. Knowing how to synthesise insight, spot patterns, and provide clarity in the midst of ambiguity is key.
How your business can future-proof UX - our top tips
For companies that want to stay competitive, the goal isn’t to do more design – it’s to do smarter design. That starts with rethinking how UX fits into your organisation.
#1 Embed UX earlier – don’t treat UX as a final polish. The most impactful design work happens upstream – at the roadmap, strategy, and discovery stages. Bring UX into conversations before decisions are locked in – you’ll save time, reduce risk, and uncover better solutions.
#2 Prioritise insight over perfection – perfect designs are meaningless if they solve the wrong problem. So, encourage a culture of experimentation, iteration, and user insight.
#3 Really commit to discovery – usability testing is just one part of the picture. Future-ready teams are constantly listening to users through diary studies, analytics, interviews, and rapid prototyping to stay ahead of shifting needs.
#4 Partner when you need clarity – internal teams are often stretched thin or too close to the product. That’s where external partners step in to cut through the noise, brings structured research, and help product teams make confident and user-informed decisions.
UX still matters, but it’s up to us to evolve
So, UX isn’t dead – it’s just evolving. The traditional roles, tools, and expectations are changing, but the core purpose remains the same: understanding people and designing with clarity. The practitioners that stay relevant are the ones who adapt – who think beyond wireframes and engage with tech, business, and real user needs.
At Make it Clear, we’ve seen how evolving our approach – strategically embedding UX, aligning with KPIs, and embracing new tech – leads to better outcomes for our clients.
Book a call
We’d love to talk to you about how we can use our up-to-date processes at Make it Clear to help your product shine. Book a call here.
