How AI and Spatial Computing Are Changing the Game in Design

What does the future of design look like in a world increasingly shaped by AI?

As we wade deeper into the era of artificial intelligence, this is a question I find myself coming back to more and more. AI’s presence in the design space — whether graphic design, 3D design, UX design — has sparked fierce debates about its potential to enhance creativity—or stifle it. From where I sit, we’re witnessing one of the most exciting shifts in the industry as AI and spatial computing push the boundaries of what’s possible.

I recently caught up with Adam Wilson, a longtime friend and the founder of Polyform, to explore how AI is reshaping the design landscape. With a rich background in both industrial and digital design, Adam has been at the forefront of integrating emerging technologies into creative spaces. From his early work with iOS to his deep dive into augmented reality (AR) and spatial computing, Adam has a unique perspective on where design is headed — and AI is a huge part of that future.

AI is becoming a powerful tool for creativity, said Adam, a lot like Photoshop when it first came out, but you still need the fundamentals. “Just because I’m good at Photoshop didn’t like mean that I was a good designer,” he noted. “I don’t know that it’s stifling creativity. I would say that it promotes creativity — that’s why I’m such a heavy user. But you still need to have those underlying skills to actually use that creativity to generate anything valuable.”

Adam is right—AI can generate stunning visuals and even complex designs, but without a solid foundation in design principles, these tools can only take you so far. We often see AI-generated images with flaws that a human designer would never overlook. “There’s always some type of artifacts within the image that an artist would have never put there they’re just some random little blob or an extra finger or whatever,” Adam noted. The tools still have a long way to go, but that will go away over time and that output will be replaced by a sort of homogenization that will leave room for creativity.

One of the more philosophical parts of our conversation centered around how AI might be leading us to that “middle of the road” standard when it comes to creativity. “It’s all about averages,” Adam explained. “[Ai content] appeals to probably the widest audience, which means that it’s kind of just in the middle. It’s not going to offend anybody, it’s also not going to be so boring that nobody wants to read it.”

This might sound like a downside, but Adam believes there’s an opportunity for creativity. He predicts a resurgence of creativity as a counterbalance to AI-generated content. “I think it’s going to make a huge opportunity for people who don’t exist in the middle,” he said. “I think we’re going to see a real resurgence of kind of craftsmanship and that analog creation as a result because anything in the middle is just can be made by AI.”

But what about the future of user interfaces and human-computer interaction? Adam shared his excitement about how these technologies are moving us beyond traditional 2D interfaces. “All of human history has been 2D images on 2D surfaces,” Adam said. “From paintings on cave walls to the printing press. It’s always been 2D on 2D — some type of surface, some type of image, some type of text. Now we’re transcending that — into three dimensions. Apple and Meta have taken a really great first steps by bringing 2D elements into a 3D space. It is an interim solution—” he said, but it’s just the beginning. “So much of what we do on a laptop is just a is just a translation from what we did on paper but there is no real translation from what we do in a 3D space to now a 3D digital space.”

We agreed that this evolution will redefine how we interact with digital environments, and Adam had some insights from his background in industrial design, but it’s still in its infancy.

Adam admitted, “The skill sets aren’t there, yet. There are no clear defined best practices. It’s a really big leap to get people to go from being a 2D UX designer to a 3D AR UX designer.” But, he says, it is an exciting — and challenging — time for designers. “We’re the generation of designers that gets to define these new standards,” Adam said. “It’s an opportunity that doesn’t come around often.”

Finally, I asked Adam about the idea of dynamic generative design, where AI could customize user experiences in real-time and constantly change based on individual preferences and behaviors. Adam was both intrigued and cautious. “It’s a great idea, conceptually,” he said, “but practically, it’s like the old Henry Ford — people asking for faster horses.” it’s dangerous territory, said Adam, because users don’t always know what makes a good interface, and allowing too much customization could lead to fragmented, suboptimal experiences.

The conversation left me excited about where design and AI are headed. Adam’s insights reminded me that while AI is a powerful tool, it’s just that — a tool. It’s the human touch, the creativity, and the craftsmanship that will continue to define great design.For more of Adam’s insights, be sure to check out Polyform’s website. I am eager to see where design — and Adam — takes us.

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