Why we need to stop competing with AI (and each other)

My feeds have been flooded lately with two recurring themes: dire predictions about AI replacing various roles (PMs, designers, engineers), and an endless stream of posts telling designers they need to master everything - coding, business metrics, visual design, storytelling, and the list goes on. May "should designers code?" never fade.

While these might seem like separate issues, I think they share an unlikely common thread worth exploring.

I'll get this out of the way first... Having knowledge beyond your core expertise is undeniably valuable. As a designer, I've benefited immensely from understanding business metrics, engineering constraints, and content strategies. These skills have helped me communicate better with cross-functional partners and create & advocate for solutions I doubt would have been possible otherwise.

However!! I don't subscribe to the notion that you must master all these adjacent skills to be a successful designer. I believe it is far more valuable to lean into your own curiosity and learn how to learn. The best designers I've worked with excel primarily at design, and rarely concern themselves with others' expectations. Their success comes from genuine curiosity, asking thoughtful questions, and maintaining an open mind. Doing things designers do best, creative problem solving and having fun.

This leads me to AI. Is it helpful? Sometimes. Is it going to take someone's job? I don't think so. While AI can accelerate reaching end results for some of us lacking applicable skills like coding or design, it doesn't provide the context or knowledge to understand the journey of how to make decisions. I've sat through countless design reviews where beautiful designs fell apart because they lacked solid rationale and supporting data. Working with AI is no different, it can make (objectively to some) a great end result, but if you don't know why or how it got there...is it worth it?

So then why are these two things connected? I think the driving force lies under the surface and often goes unaddressed: much of this anxiety-inducing content is driven by the attention and creator economy. Hot takes and buzzwordy topics generate followers, engagement, and customers for paid courses. This particularly affects designers, who can often feel insecure about their knowledge of business, engineering, or other technical domains. We see so much content about what "You need to do this to be successful or your job will be replaced!"

I've fallen into this trap myself. Way back when, I used to spend weekends teaching myself SQL to build dashboards and prove points to PMs, or learning code to show engineers "it wasn't that hard." These revenge-fueled learning sessions felt similar to using AI - I learned enough to sound knowledgeable, but would crumble under questioning because I lacked deep understanding.

You know what would've been way more effective? Just asking for help. Leaning on my teammates who actually knew what they were doing and are way smarter than me.

And thats my point. Don't let clickbait posts and courses make you feel like you need to compete with or replace your colleagues. If you want to know the real secret? Be a good teammate. Ask for help when you need it, and if an idea isn't coming across well, ask them for feedback and how you can adjust. If you genuinely want to learn business or engineering stuff, go for it! Just do it because you're interested, not because a LinkedIn influencer made you feel like you need it to be successful. I would also suggest getting real examples from your teammates so the knowledge you learn will be applicable to your own work.

Sure, AI's going to keep advancing. Maybe designers will use it to manage design systems without having to bother engineers, or PMs will use it to mock up designs. But you know what? That just gives us all a better starting point for collaboration. I don't think it's taking anyone's job, and I don't want it to. I love my teammates, and it would be a lot less fun and productive to work without them.

We get caught up in this "Us vs Them" mindset because, honestly, tech jobs feel pretty unstable right now. But I think if we de-escalate a bit and approach the situations with less stakes, we can all see we are on the same team. When you ask your teammate for help, you're not just solving your problem - you're giving them a chance to shine. And guess what? They're way more likely to come to you next time they need something. Tools and processes will come and go (remember flash?? or maybe I am just old..) But learning how to work with others and building relationships will last longer than any job or online bootcamp degree will.

Here's the future I see: We all bring something unique to the table, just like our cross-functional partners do. Focus on doing work that makes you proud, help your teammates succeed, and they'll have your back too. That's the kind of success I believe in. And hey, no course subscription required.