The State of AI Design 2026

How brand teams are moving from AI experiments to production systems

Based on conversations with designers and marketers at 100+ companies, this report explores how AI adoption in design is shifting from isolated generation tools to governed, brand-aware systems. It reveals what it takes to use AI in real workflows without sacrificing brand integrity, trust, or creative quality.

In this report, we explore:

  • Why generative AI alone isn’t enough and why systems, not prompts, are the future of brand-safe design
  • How trust, governance, and liability became the main blockers (and enablers) of AI adoption
  • How designers are evolving from asset makers to system architects and creative directors