Figma CEO Advocates Adaptation Over AI Fear
Amid warnings from tech giants about automation-driven layoffs, Figma CEO Dylan Field offers a different perspective, urging workers to stop panicking about AI. The head of the $28 billion design-software firm emphasizes viewing artificial intelligence as a tool for growth rather than a threat, noting the company's plans to expand its workforce as automation progresses.
Figma, which went public earlier this year, currently has over 150 open positions in the US and is investing in AI-driven tools aimed at enhancing rather than replacing creative work. Field assures that AI is not a threat, encouraging focus on adaptation.
On a podcast, Field shared that nearly 60% of Figma's surveyed designers and product teams reported that AI freed them to focus on 'higher-value' creative tasks, with 70% noting productivity gains. AI can serve as a lever for efficiency or a path for expansion, and Figma is choosing growth.
Figma's internal strategy aligns with this outlook. Instead of reducing staff, the company is training existing employees for AI-enhanced roles and forming partnerships with universities to promote AI literacy. This approach contrasts with other Silicon Valley companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon, which have cited automation in announcing mass layoffs.
Research by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) presents a more nuanced picture. Its 2025 analysis indicates that while AI often improves efficiency and safety, it can also limit worker autonomy, with one in five employees reporting reduced control over daily tasks due to AI systems. Approximately 27% of global jobs are considered at 'high risk' of automation, though large-scale job losses have not yet occurred.
Economists caution that productivity growth may not lead to shared prosperity. A Goldman Sachs report from October 2025 warned that AI could drive 'jobless growth,' with economies expanding on paper even as employment stagnates. The consultancy estimated that generative-AI systems could automate up to 300 million roles globally over the next decade, though many roles would evolve rather than disappear.
Field's optimism highlights a broader argument within the tech industry: adaptation, not fear, will determine success. At Figma, AI tools are used to accelerate prototyping, automate layout adjustments, and reduce repetitive design tasks, allowing creative teams to focus on strategy and innovation.
Global labor organizations agree that the transition must be carefully managed. The OECD stresses that equitable AI adoption will depend on reskilling access, transparent oversight, and ensuring algorithmic systems augment rather than exploit human labor. For Field, the key takeaway is clear: 'AI won't replace designers, but designers who use AI might replace those who don't.'