Even though there were evident concerns that kept growing and revolving around how artificial intelligence could eventually reduce the need for human creative workers, the UK‘s design industry has been expanding, nevertheless. New figures show that the sector has increasingly become an important part of the British economy. However, despite these notes, industry leaders argue that AI is more likely to change the way designers work rather than completely get rid of their roles.
The Design Council produced research, and by the publication it shows that the UK’s design economy had generated around £136.7 billion in gross value added (GVA) in the year of 2023. This represents a 40% increase from the previous years, such as 2019, compared with 23% growth across the wider economy. The sector also supported around 2.27 million workers last year, marking a 15% increase in employment since 2020.
The figures show a positive picture for an industry that is at current, facing a large shift in technology. Generative AI can now do various tasks such as producing images, coming up with visual concepts and other creative material within seconds, and that results in questions being raised about whether companies will eventually reduce their reliance on professional designers who take more time yet produce something authentically unique.
However, representatives of the industry have stated that technology should not automatically be looked at as just a substitute for human workers. Deborah Dawton, chief executive of the Design Business Association, has raised her own arguments that professional designers bring qualities such as experience, empathy and knowledge of the businesses they work with. These abilities, which only real-life humans possess, can influence decisions in ways that automated systems cannot easily reproduce or replace; this is a strong point that should be considered.
The Design Council has also clearly pointed to the much broader role of designers within the economy. Around 80% of designers work outside traditional design industries, meaning their skills are being used across areas such as manufacturing, services and other parts of the economy.
However, such a trend indicates AI will still affect creative employment. Some routine tasks are already becoming easier to automate, potentially changing what employers naturally expect from designers. Rather than spending as much time producing initial concepts or completing repetitive work, professionals could increasingly be expected to direct technology, assess its results and make the final creative decisions.
There is also clear evidence that AI is creating new types of work for creative professionals. For an example, freelance designers, illustrators and other creatives have increasingly been hired to correct problems with AI-generated material, even if concerns continue to be present regarding the quality and long-term security of this work.
Like fashion, education is another concern for the UK industry. The Design Council has highlighted a sharp decline in design and technology GCSE entries, with participation falling by 68% over the decade to 2024. At a time when businesses are expected to need more expertise on design, industry leaders say that maintaining a strong pipeline of young talent will be equally important.
As a result, the future of design is likely to involve a combination of human creativity and increasingly capable technology. AI may most likely remove some traditional tasks, but the continued growth of the UK design economy suggests that demand for people who can understand problems, develop ideas and make informed creative decisions remains strong at the same time.
