Author: Dojo Editor

By Joe Scaggs | AI Design Ethics & Current Events

As designers, developers, and technologists, we are building systems that make decisions once made by people. But what happens when those decisions cause harm?

In May 2023, the New York Times published a story about AI models that made life-altering mistakes—wrong job evaluations, misdiagnosed patients, and algorithmic bias in law enforcement systems. None of these failures had a single “culprit,” yet the impact was deeply personal for those affected.

As AI systems get more advanced, responsibility becomes harder to trace. In the case of COMPAS, a criminal justice algorithm used in US courts, studies showed Black defendants were more likely to be incorrectly flagged as high risk. This wasn’t intentional; no one said, “Let’s make this racist.” But it happened because the data used was already flawed.

Who do we hold accountable? The developers? The data scientists? The UX designers? Or the companies that profit?

Every design choice reflects a value. Choosing what data to include, what outcomes to optimize, and even how we word error messages affects real people.

The AI Now Institute and other ethics watchdogs argue that the root of many problems lies not in the AI models themselves but in the failure to design transparent and auditable systems.

The following are three ways designers can lead ethically:

1. Design for Explainability
   Your users (and regulators) should understand why the AI made a decision, not just what it did. Tools like Google’s Explainable AI help build this transparency into ML models.
2. Create a Feedback Loop
   Build systems where users can challenge, correct, or appeal AI decisions. This creates accountability beyond the code.
3. Use Bias Audits
   Services like ParlAI and IBM’s AI Fairness 360 can test datasets and models for bias. Make audits part of your standard process.

We need to accept that AI is not just a tool; it’s a system. And systems require oversight.

The design world is evolving, and AI is helping us move faster, smarter, and more creatively. You don’t need to be a tech wizard to use these tools. You just need to know where to look.

Here are five AI tools that will supercharge your design workflow in 2023:

1. Midjourney

Turn ideas into visuals with text prompts like “minimalist logo for a coffee brand.” Great for concept art, mockups, and idea boards.
▶️ Explore Midjourney

2. Jasper AI

Write blog posts, landing pages, or UX copy in minutes. Jasper helps maintain brand tone while giving you a head start.
▶️ Try Jasper

3. Runway ML

Video editing made smart: Remove backgrounds, generate animations, and apply effects with a click. Perfect for marketing or social media content.
▶️ Explore Runway

4. Figma AI Plugins

Plugins like Magician and Autoflow use AI to generate components, align objects, and suggest design improvements.
▶️ Explore Figma Plugins

5. Khroma

An AI color tool that learns your preferences and builds custom palettes.
▶️ Try Khroma

These tools are not replacements; they’re force multipliers. They help designers spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time on creativity.