“The ChatGPT Crisis of 2026,” Srivats Mutalik argues that the UX design profession is facing an existential threat from advanced AI models capable of executing complex design tasks in seconds. The article posits that work which previously required a decade of experience to master—such as synthesizing user research, generating detailed personas, and creating high-fidelity UI iterations—can now be replicated by a non-expert using simple, one-line prompts.
Although the specific prompts are behind a paywall, the author’s broader thesis emphasizes that “commodity” design work is effectively dead. Mutalik warns that designers who define their value by their speed in Figma or their ability to produce standard deliverables (like case studies) are becoming replaceable. The piece serves as a wake-up call, urging professionals to pivot from being “creators of artifacts” to “strategic directors” of AI, focusing on soft skills, personal branding, and high-level problem solving that algorithms cannot yet mimic.
