Artificial Intelligence has revolutionised the design industry. Today AI helps to streamline workflows and enhance creativity. Furthermore, new technology has caught on so fast that many people can't imagine work processes without input of large language models or art generators anymore.
Curious about which AI tools designers are using and wondering which ones to adopt yourself? We were too! So, we ran a short survey on our Weavely website to get the inside scoop. The survey tackled 2 interesting aspects, such as tool adoption and payment trends. In this blog post we share results of our survey and discuss the AI tools most used by designers.
The setup
Before we jump to the results, you might be curious to know more about the setup of the experiment. We decided to collect data with the help of a pop-up survey embedded on our website's main page. We used the Weavely Forms plugin for Figma to build our survey, as it gives you full freedom in design customisation, as well as allows for building pop-ups. On the image above you can see a form with which we collected responses.
Over the course of two weeks, our pop-up survey got 3000 views and 393 responses, which gives us a decent conversion rate of 13%.
Our primary question included popular choices like ChatGPT, Midjourney, Ulzard, Magician for Figma, Creatie, Khroma, Remove BG, Jasper, an open slot for 'Other' tools and an option "I don't use AI tools".
By the way, if you want to learn how to build ready-to-embed pop-up forms and surveys in Figma, we've made this short tutorial.
Results
AI-powered tools adoption rate
Interestingly, only 11% of designers said they don't use any AI tools at all. This shows how deeply integrated generative AI has become in the design process, helping designers streamline their workflows and boost creativity. Whether it's generating text, creating stunning visuals, or automating tedious tasks, AI tools are clearly making a big impact. Now, let’s dive into the specific tools that designers are using the most and what makes them so popular.
The most popular AI tools among designers
The key question in our survey aimed to identify the AI tools designers are currently using the most. So, let's take a closer look.
ChatGPT stands tall as the most favoured AI tool according to the results of our survey. A staggering 86% of designers reported using it for work. This result is not at all surprising as ChatGPT can handle a large range of tasks - from generating content to articulating design concepts and preparing user interface copy.
The second-runner in the AI tools usage trends is an AI art generator Midjourney. With a 25% adoption rate by AI users, the tool helps designers to generate ideas, explore different styles, create moodboards and illustrations.
Remove BG is the third most popular tool on our list with 17% of respondents claiming to use it. Remove BG is a rather simple but a life-saving tool, and as its name suggests it automatically removes background from images in a matter of a few seconds.
Just a bit outside of the top-3, Magician for Figma is used by 12% of our respondents and is specifically an AI tool for designers who work in Figma. With Magician, you can generate unique icons, copywriting, images and more directly in Figma. The plugin supports and enhances your design workflow and boosts creativity and imagination.
Creatie is a new design software in the UX/UI design market. It focuses on simplifying design processes and largely integrates AI across various features. Although freshly released, Creatie managed to grab attention of 9% of our respondents.
Ulzard is an AI-powered UI design tool. It assists in design process, turns screenshots into polished designs, morph hand-drawn sketches into wireframes, and crafts UI designs using just text. Based on our survey results, 7% of designers responded that they are using UIzard.
Next down the line we have Khroma with a 4% adoption rate. The tool offers AI-powered colour palette generation. It assists designers in quickly finding harmonious colour schemes that complement their projects, enhancing visual aesthetics and ensuring consistency across design elements.
Finally, Jasper, often referred to as the ChatGPT for marketing content, is used by only 2% of designers in our survey. Its main focus on creating marketing and sales copy might explain its lower usage among designers.
To pay or not to pay?
The second question tackled the issue of paying for AI-powered products.
According to the results of our survey, a remarkable 42% of designers using AI tools do pay for them. This could only mean that premium versions of AI-driven solutions bring additional value that definitely beats their free alternatives.
Paying for AI tools provides access to more advanced features, unlimited usage and early access to significant updates. It also signals designers' commitment to innovate and move the design industry forward, where AI plays an increasingly important role.
Conclusion
In conclusion, AI tools have become integral to the design industry, with only 11% of designers not using any AI tools. Large language models and art generators enable designers to push boundaries and create even more unique designs. ChatGPT leads with 86% usage, followed by Midjourney at 25%, and Remove BG at 17%. Tools like Magician for Figma, Creatie and UIzard also see significant adoption. Notably, 42% of designers are willing to pay for these tools, highlighting the value they provide in enhancing creativity and streamlining workflows.
