Figma, a leading platform for user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design, recently introduced Figma AI, which incorporates advanced AI capabilities. One of its standout features is Make Designs, an innovative tool that generates interface drafts based on user text descriptions. Unfortunately, this feature has been temporarily halted following accusations of plagiarism.
Developer Andy Allen’s discovery that Make Designs produced an interface nearly identical to Apple’s Weather app, save for the background, raised concerns. Allen speculated that Figma AI might have been trained on a vast array of existing applications. He urged fellow developers to carefully consider whether Make Designs was merely replicating other apps or making substantial alterations to steer clear of copyright disputes.
Figma AI looks rather heavily trained on existing apps.
— Andy Allen (@asallen) July 1, 2024
This is a "weather app" using the new Make Designs feature and the results are basically Apple's Weather app (left). Tried three times, same results. https://t.co/Ij20OpPCer pic.twitter.com/psFTV6daVD
In swift response, Figma’s co-founder and CEO, Dylan Field, explained that Make Designs combines several large language models with design systems either developed by Figma or tailored for clients. Field stressed that the tool was not trained on Figma content, community files, or application designs. He admitted that the issue arose from the underlying design system and took accountability for rushing the team to meet deadlines without enforcing a thorough quality assurance (QA) process.
To address these concerns, Figma has opted to temporarily disable the Make Designs feature until a comprehensive QA process is in place. This decision reflects Figma’s dedication to preserving the integrity and originality of its AI-powered design tools.
This incident underscores the complexities faced by AI-driven design tools in balancing originality with the use of extensive training datasets. As AI increasingly permeates design and development, upholding ethical and legal standards becomes critical. Figma’s prompt action in response to the allegations showcases its commitment to maintaining high standards and swiftly addressing any issues.
For developers and designers who rely on AI tools like Make Designs, this episode serves as a reminder to closely examine the outputs for originality and to remain vigilant about potential copyright violations. As AI technology advances, ongoing oversight and ethical considerations will be essential in sustaining the trust and integrity of AI-driven design platforms.
