Figma definitely appears to be doubling down, putting designers ahead of the curve, in a field that’s threatened by automation. They made a statement during Config 2024 keynote this June when they released Figma AI in beta, a total interface overhaul in UI3, and introduced Figma Slides – a game-changer for UX design.

But most strategic and surprising of all is their underlying message of AI improving the human creative process (instead of replacing it). 

Figma AI’s Focus on Humans

Figma’s move into AI feels both inevitable and brilliant. Figma AI is the company’s bold answer to everyone who worries about designers surviving against design tools. The idea is to pass on the repetitive tasks to artificial intelligence and leave the users to focus on creativity.

Visual Search

One of the standout features is Visual Search, which simplifies the process of finding design assets. Instead of starting from scratch, designers can use screenshots, selected frames, or even hand-drawn sketches to search for similar components across their team’s files. 

Improved Asset Search uses AI to understand the context of a search query. This makes it easier to find relevant assets even when search terms don’t perfectly match file names.

Make Designs

Another feature, Make Designs, allows users to quickly generate UI layouts and component options from simple text prompts. It provides initial drafts that can be used to explore different design directions and kickstart the creative process.

Figma also introduced several AI-driven tools that can generate realistic images, rewrite text, and automatically wire up prototypes in a campaign to protect the flow against manual work.

All AI tools are available in free beta through 2024.

UI3: A Fresh Start (and It’s About Time)

Figma has been layering new features into its platform for years. While the functionality kept improving, the interface was starting to feel a bit bloated. That changed this June with UI3, Figma’s third major redesign, and one that feels both fresh and long overdue.

UI3 is undeniably streamlined with more immersive canvas, component-centered UI, and new icon set.

It’s clear that Figma is looking to accommodate even more complex design systems and surfaces while respecting the muscle memory designers have developed over the years. 

Some UX designers may resist out of loyalty to the old UI, but Figma’s decision to roll it out gradually (by the way, allowing users to revert to the old UI if needed is a generous touch) shows a thoughtful approach. 

Reinventing Presentations

Figma Slides is a no-brainer. Last year, teams created over 3.5 million slide files using Figma. This is a testament to how designers were already using the platform for presentations. Figma Slides builds on this, integrating features like multiplayer collaboration, live designs, and zoomed-out grid views. We think this will to make the process of building and presenting decks smoother.

Designed to feel instantly familiar, which means designers can jump right into building beautiful, collaborative decks without having to compromise on design fidelity or workarounds. 

Currently in free beta, Figma Slides will officially launch in early 2025. Pricing starts at $3 to $5 per user per month, depending on the plan.

Dev Mode: Finally, a Better Hand-off Experience

Figma is finally addressing the long-standing pain points in design-to-development workflows. The new Ready for Dev View streamlines the handoff process. It does this by helping developers focus on what’s ready to build, even when working across multiple pages and design explorations. 

It includes search and filter options that allow developers to track updates and see which team members have made changes.

Focus View further helps developers tune out distractions and focus solely on what’s ready for implementation. This feature provides a snapshot of design changes over time, allowing developers to stay up-to-date on the latest revisions and mark designs as “completed” once they’ve been built.

Another significant update is the expansion of Code Connect, which bridges the gap between design systems and development frameworks. The feature now supports React, React Native, iOS, Android, and more.

Other Improvements

To enhance usability, Figma introduced a series of updates to improve existing features UI and UX Designs.

Auto Layout has been made more intuitive, allowing designers to automatically create necessary frames for full design elements. 

UI Kits have also been revamped, with curated kits from partners like Google and Apple now available directly in the assets panel. These kits provide ready-made components and example mockups, enabling designers to start projects with full layouts that are fully editable. All kits are backed by Code Connect, ensuring seamless integration with development frameworks.

In addition, the prototype viewer has been updated to resize responsively, allowing users to preview designs on various screen sizes and devices more easily. The viewer respects constraints and Auto Layout properties, ensuring that designs look correct no matter the screen size.

A Surprisingly Visionary Approach 

Integrating AI in a way that enhances creativity rather than stifling it, positions Figma as a thought leader in a design world that’s already being radically ravaged by automation. 

It looks like Figma is betting that in a future dominated by AI, human creativity will still be the final differentiator.