2026 is shaping up to be really interesting. More new tools are embracing AI, like Pencil, Paper. Designers are exploring new ways of designing by prompting, whether that's typing or even using voice as an option, now that Claude Code has a voice mode.

About a month ago, Figma followed the same trajectory by including prompt-based design. You prompt in Claude Code and bring it into Figma. Personally, I find the workflow still a bit clunky. It codes first, then I need to prompt again if I want to push it to Figma. Compare that to Paper, which immediately makes the UI right on the canvas.

Matt D. Smith (MDS) shared his walkthrough on how to use Claude Code → Figma. This gave me an idea: designers shouldn't resist using AI. We can benefit from it to get up to speed, produce first drafts and explore ideas faster. But also, don't rely on prompting 100%. Sometimes your hands are still faster and better. And don't forget to learn the UI fundamentals: typography, spacing, visual hierarchy, and all the basics that make good design good. I think this combination of AI speed and solid craft knowledge is what can really elevate our work.