State of the Designer 2026: Designers are leaning into the messy middle

Figma's 2026 State of the Designer report surveys 906 digital designers globally on how AI is reshaping design work.

• •91% of designers say AI tools improve their designs, while 89% report working faster and 80% say they collaborate better
• •Designers embracing AI are 25% more likely to report job satisfaction than those who aren't
• •Craft is defined differently across designers—those linking it to human emotion and creative outcomes tend to be happier and more successful
• •When leadership prioritizes design excellence, designers are twice as likely to feel good about their work
• •Creative freedom ranks as the #1 contributor to job satisfaction, with 87% saying decision-making power boosts their performance
• •91% say clear goals and expectations help them do their best work amid AI-driven process changes