Figma has reintroduced its AI-powered feature, First Draft, which is now available in a limited beta. Formerly known as Make Designs, the feature was paused earlier this year following concerns about its outputs closely resembling existing app designs, particularly Apple’s weather app. After several rounds of testing and adjustments, Figma is relaunching the tool with new functionalities aimed at providing designers with flexible starting points for their projects.
What is First Draft?
First Draft allows designers to generate a basic mockup by providing a prompt that describes their design goals. It uses off-the-shelf AI models, including OpenAI’s GPT-4 and Amazon Titan, to select and arrange components from Figma’s proprietary design systems. Interestingly, following a massive backlash and skepticism, Figma emphasizes that First Draft does not train on customer data. Instead, it leverages predefined mobile and desktop design systems filled with components and assembly examples.
Following a massive backlash and skepticism, Figma emphasizes that ‘First Draft’ does not train on customer data
The tool is designed to help designers overcome early-stage bottlenecks in the design process, particularly when trying to turn initial ideas into concrete visual mockups. First Draft’s relaunch introduces several new features aimed at offering users more flexibility in how they start their designs.
Key Features and Updates
One of the notable updates is the introduction of four design libraries. These include options for lo-fi wireframing, which can help designers sketch out primitive layouts, as well as higher-fidelity libraries that offer more polished visual elements. This allows designers to choose a starting point that aligns with their current project, whether they’re looking for rough concepts or ready-to-use visual patterns.
In addition to the design libraries, Figma has also integrated Visual Search, which allows users to search their files using text prompts or images. While Visual Search offers utility in locating existing components, First Draft takes a more generative approach by assembling new designs based on the designer’s input.
Custom Libraries and Future Development
Looking forward, Figma plans to extend First Draft’s capabilities by allowing organizations to incorporate their custom libraries into the tool. This feature is currently in development as a proof of concept and could significantly streamline the design process for teams that work within defined design systems. For instance, product teams using Google’s Material 3 or similar frameworks would be able to quickly draft new ideas without manually sifting through hundreds of components.
Figma also positions First Draft as a tool that complements more traditional design workflows. It is not intended to replace creativity or the manual design process but instead to serve as a time-saving mechanism for generating early-stage concepts.
Figma expects ongoing feedback from users will shape how the tool evolves, particularly in terms of incorporating more complex design systems and industry-specific frameworks.
Background on the Relaunch
Figma initially introduced Make Designs at Config 2024, alongside a suite of other AI-powered tools aimed at streamlining the design process. Early feedback raised concerns that the outputs generated by Make Designs were too similar to existing apps, leading Figma to disable the feature and refine it further. The rebranded First Draft reflects Figma’s attempt to address these concerns and create a more robust solution for designers.
According to Noah Levin, Vice President of Design at Figma, the goal of First Draft is to provide designers with a jumping-off point rather than a finished product. Levin notes that the tool was renamed after its internal project name to better reflect its intended purpose: helping designers get to their first draft faster and more efficiently.
Industry Implications
Figma’s decision to reintroduce First Draft underlines the growing influence of AI in the design industry. While many companies are experimenting with AI-powered tools, Figma’s approach—combining off-the-shelf AI models with proprietary design systems—offers a unique take on how AI can be integrated into creative workflows.
However, the initial rollout of Make Designs exposed some of the challenges involved in using AI to generate design mockups. The fact that certain outputs too closely resembled existing apps has led to a broader conversation about the role of generative AI in design, particularly around originality and creativity.
Figma’s move to relaunch First Draft reflects an ongoing attempt to strike a balance between automation and human creativity. The company has made it clear that AI is not meant to replace designers but rather to assist them in navigating the often tedious process of turning ideas into workable concepts.
Whether or not the design community fully embraces this vision remains to be seen, but Figma’s focus on evolving its AI tools based on user feedback suggests a cautious, iterative approach.
For now, First Draft is available in limited beta, and Figma will continue to gather feedback as the tool evolves. DesignWhine will keep an eye on how the design community responds to this reintroduction and whether First Draft becomes a staple in the modern designer’s toolkit.
