Designing Smarter: Using AI Tools in Low and High-Fidelity Design.
AI is rapidly reshaping the design landscape. From quick idea generation to refined visual assets, artificial intelligence is becoming a incredibly useful tool in both low and high-fidelity design work.
How do you use AI design tools in ways that support creativity, not replace it? And how do they fit into the flow of modern product and UX designers?
What Are AI Design Tools?
AI design tools range from intelligent assistants that help with wireframes to platforms that generate full-page UI concepts, write UX copy, or suggest accessibility improvements. Think of them as creative collaborators, not shortcuts.
Popular tools include:
Figma AI: Autocompletes layouts, suggests components, and speeds up prototyping
Uizard: Converts hand-drawn sketches into editable wireframes
Khroma: Generates unique colour palettes based on your preferences
ChatGPT and Gemini: Drafts microcopy, UX writing, or even design rationale
Used well, these tools reduce repetition and give designers more space to focus on the hard stuff—like solving real user problems.
AI in Low-Fidelity Design
In the early stages of a project, AI can help get ideas onto the page faster:
Wireframing: AI can generate base-level layouts, forms, or navigation patterns based on a few prompts or sketches.
User flows: Tools can propose user journeys based on goals and context.
Concept testing: Quickly spin up options to get early stakeholder feedback.
The key is speed without sacrificing user thinking. AI doesn’t replace discovery, it supports it.
AI in High-Fidelity Design
As you move into more polished screens and detailed interactions, AI tools can help refine your work
Smart layout suggestions: AI can recommend design system components that suit the context and layout pattern you're working with.
UX copy assistance: From headlines to tooltips and onboarding messages, AI can help shape content that fits the tone and purpose of each screen.
Accessibility support: Tools can flag colour contrast issues, suggest alt text, and ensure your design is inclusive from the start.
Visual consistency checks: AI helps spot misaligned elements, uneven spacing, or inconsistencies across pages—before they become usability issues.
These tools act like a second set of eyes, they are helpful, fast, and often surprisingly insightful.
What to Watch Out For
AI tools are improving quickly, but they’re not perfect. Do not rely on them too heavily can lead to generic outputs or design decisions that lack empathy.
Designers still need to:
Sense-check suggestions against real user needs
Maintain brand voice and accessibility
Iterate based on research, not just algorithms
Used thoughtfully, AI speeds up your process. Used carelessly, it can dilute your message.