Karri Saarinen argues that design is fundamentally about understanding problems deeply, not generating outputs. Drawing on Christopher Alexander's concept of 'fit between form and context,' he warns that AI tools encourage skipping the hard thinking required to resolve the real forces behind a problem. The result is polished-looking products that fall apart under actual use. He prefers visual design work because the slow, iterative process is itself part of how clarity and understanding emerge — something AI-generated output cannot replicate.
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