[Hybrid] Discussion: Two Sides of Design Autonomy

For years, designers have said they'd do better work if the organization got out of the way. AI is enabling us to test that claim. In his recent [Smashing Magazine article](https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2026/07/bull-and-bear-case-digital-design-age-ai/), Andy Budd lays out two futures. In the bull case, designers can go from "we should fix this" to "I fixed this, and pushed it live," and need far less permission to act. In the bear case, that same autonomy exposes designers who were better at critique than at owning outcomes while product and engineering learn to route around design entirely.

Which future are you seeing at your company? Is your team gaining agency, or being narrowed to maintaining the design system? What does owning an outcome actually look like when anyone can prototype?

At this month's meetup, we'll dig into both sides and share what's happening in our respective organizations.

All are welcome to attend! Whether you're working in UX, looking to get into the fiel