We ask why designers are still essential when AI can generate code in seconds, arguing that the answer lies in judgment rather than execution. Fabricio Teixeira and Nick Babich highlight how taste and decision rights are becoming the primary differentiators against AI’s sameness, even as tools like Claude Code blur the line between design and development. Meanwhile, we confront the uncomfortable reality of a shifting job market where senior expertise no longer guarantees a seat at the table, forcing us to define our value through business coherence and specific judgment calls.
