Quality won’t save designers from AI
How the evolution of analog products and the rise of throwaway culture can offer insights into the future of digital design.
The evolution of industries often follows a predictable pattern — innovation disrupts, efficiency prevails, and quality diminishes. In the analog world, mass production redefined expectations for countless products, from clothing to household appliances. Today, AI is destined to reshape the digital landscape in a similar way, challenging notions of quality and user expectations. While many argue that audiences will reject lower-quality, AI-generated content, the historical trajectory of analog products suggests otherwise.
The Analog Precedent — From Craftsmanship to Convenience
When was the last time you had shoes or clothes tailored, or called someone to repair your vacuum cleaner? When I was a kid, I remember accompanying my dad to the local TV repair shop. That shop closed its doors at least 25 years ago. Back then, repairing a television made sense. Now, TVs are so cheap that no one bothers to fix them anymore.
This shift reflects a broader cultural transformation. Before mass production, analog products embodied a culture of craftsmanship and durability. Clothing was proudly made and tailored to fit individuals, appliances were designed to last decades, and broken items were repairable. Products carried a sense of permanence and pride.
However, the rise of industrial mass production and global outsourcing, particularly to nations like China, prioritized speed and affordability over quality. This transition wasn’t immediate, but as costs dropped and availability accelerated, consumer expectations began to shift.
Tailored clothing gave way to fast fashion. Durable appliances were replaced by cheaper, disposable alternatives. What mattered wasn’t longevity or uniqueness but accessibility and convenience.
As repair services dwindled and replacement became the norm, the idea of maintaining quality eroded. The throw-away culture we now inhabit emerged as a natural byproduct of prioritizing efficiency over excellence.
The AI Parallel — Efficiency Over Excellence
AI’s impact on digital industries parallels the shift caused by mass production in analog products. Designers often argue that AI, while fast and cost-effective, can’t match the nuanced quality of human creativity. Yet, history suggests that speed and affordability often outweigh craftsmanship when consumer habits are reshaped.
Consider AI-generated content — visual assets, written copy, even entire websites created in seconds. While these outputs may lack the depth of human-led design, they are sufficient for many purposes. Small businesses, startups, and individuals, who previously couldn’t afford custom designs, now have access to “professional-looking” results at a fraction of the cost.
Much like analog industries, this shift lowers the barrier to entry while simultaneously normalizing lower-quality outputs. Over time, user expectations adjust. What might feel subpar today could become the standard tomorrow.
Just as consumers no longer expect clothes to last decades or appliances to be repairable, they may not demand the same level of originality or craftsmanship in digital designs. The focus shifts from quality to utility, with speed and price leading the way.
The Argument Against AI Supremacy
Many designers argue that audiences will reject AI-generated content because it lacks the hallmarks of quality found in human creativity. They emphasize emotional resonance, cultural context, and the subtle, authentic nuances that distinguish exceptional design.
I once shared this perspective, but it reflects a narrow view. It assumes that audiences value design in the same way designers do — an assumption that often falls short. This mindset also presupposes that quality is a fixed standard, ignoring the reality that audiences frequently prioritize convenience and affordability over traditional markers of excellence.
From a historical perspective, when mass production made goods cheaper and more accessible, consumers adapted. The same could happen with AI-generated content. While some will always value bespoke designs, the majority will embrace AI’s efficiency, especially as its outputs improve over time.
Shifting User Expectations
User expectations are not static. They evolve alongside technological and cultural changes. In the analog world, expectations shifted from craftsmanship to affordability. In the digital world, they are shifting from creativity to functionality.
Consider the shift in communication. Handwritten letters were once the gold standard for personal and professional correspondence, valued for their individuality and effort. Today, email and messaging apps have replaced them, prioritizing speed and convenience over the personal touch.
Similarly, AI-generated content, while initially perceived as impersonal or lacking depth, could become widely accepted as it meets users’ pragmatic needs. Over time, efficiency often outweighs sentimentality, reshaping what users expect and value.
The Long View
The trajectory of analog products serves as a cautionary tale for designers, especially those in the digital domain. Mass production reshaped industries, not because it offered better products, but because it aligned with shifting consumer priorities. AI has the potential to do the same for digital design, redefining what users value and expect.
This emerging landscape could shift the role of designers, favoring less hands-on creators and more collaborative partners who lend their creativity or endorsements to AI-generated products, much like fashion designers team up with brands to develop and sell products.
Take, for example, the clothing designs at Kohl’s under the Vera Wang label. While the name Vera Wang evokes thoughts of luxury and meticulous craftsmanship, the reality of these mass-market lines tells a different story.
The clothing carries the designer’s brand identity, but the materials and production methods are geared toward affordability and convenience, not longevity or superior quality.
For most users, the trade-off between quality and convenience will lean toward the latter. Designers who fail to acknowledge this shift risk being left behind, while those who embrace it may find new opportunities to innovate and thrive.
The Road Ahead
The rise of AI in digital design mirrors the impact of mass production on analog industries. Both prioritize efficiency over craftsmanship, and both reshape user expectations over time.
While some argue that audiences won’t accept lower-quality outputs, history suggests otherwise. As with clothing and appliances, digital design may eventually prioritize accessibility and convenience over nuance and originality.
Designers face a daunting task — balancing the efficiencies of AI with the fleeting uniqueness of human creativity. The real challenge isn’t just staying relevant but grappling with a shifting definition of quality in a world increasingly satisfied with “good enough.”
As technology advances relentlessly, it’s unclear whether design’s human touch will remain valued — or if we’re merely romanticizing the past. To prepare for what’s ahead, designers must confront the uncomfortable parallels between past disruptions and today’s transformations, questioning whether the future will reflect the best of design or the bare minimum it can get away with.
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