Figma’s AI Design Controversy: Apple Similarity Sparks Questions, Prompts Changes

Figma’s new generative AI feature, Make Designs, has been pulled after producing designs strikingly similar to Apple’s iOS weather app, raising questions about the tool’s training data and the company’s AI development process.

Figma’s response and the issue’s root cause: Figma CEO Dylan Field and CTO Kris Rasmussen addressed the controversy, revealing key details about the AI tool’s development:

• Figma did not train the AI models used in Make Designs, relying instead on “off-the-shelf models and a bespoke design system.”
• The company attributes the issue to insufficient variation in the commissioned design system, rather than the training data.
• Rasmussen stated that Figma wanted to be transparent about its AI training policies before training its own models.

Implications for AI model providers: The incident highlights potential concerns regarding the training data used by AI model providers:

• If Figma did not train its AI tool, the resemblance to Apple’s designs suggests that the third-party models from OpenAI and Amazon might have been trained on Apple’s app designs.
• This raises questions about the responsibility and oversight of AI model providers in ensuring their training data does not infringe upon copyrighted designs.

Figma’s plans for addressing the issue and future AI development: The company outlined its approach to resolving the current problem and refining its AI tools:

• Figma will review the bespoke design system to ensure sufficient variation and adherence to quality standards before re-enabling Make Designs.
• The company plans to train its own models or fine-tune open-source models to learn general design patterns and Figma-specific concepts, aiming to create better tools for professional designers.
• Figma expects to re-enable Make Designs “soon,” while other AI features will remain available in beta.

Broader context of AI in creative tools: Figma’s experience is part of a larger trend of companies navigating the challenges of integrating AI into creative tools:

• Adobe faced backlash over changes to its terms of service, prompting the company to clarify that it would not use users’ work to train its AI.
• Meta had to adjust its AI labels on Instagram after incorrectly applying them to real photos, sparking complaints from photographers.

Analyzing deeper: The Figma AI controversy underscores the complexities and potential pitfalls of incorporating generative AI into design tools. As more companies explore AI-powered features, it is crucial to address issues surrounding training data, intellectual property rights, and transparency. The incident also highlights the need for robust testing and quality control measures to prevent unintended consequences and maintain user trust. As the creative industry continues to embrace AI, striking a balance between innovation and responsibility will be essential to ensure the technology’s long-term success and acceptance.