How AI brought joy back to my design career

I almost left design. After years of feeling stuck between career paths — design, product management, engineering — I couldn't figure out where I fit. Then AI tools changed what was possible. I started building prototypes in hours instead of weeks. I shipped production code for the first time. I built tools that let other designers do the same. This talk is the story of how I went from a career crossroads to the most creatively fulfilling work of my life — and a practical look at how designers can start building today, not someday.

This session is for you if you're a designer who's felt the pull to do more than design — to build, to prototype, to ship — but weren't sure how to get there. It's for you if you've wondered whether AI tools are a threat to your role or an unlock. And it's for you if you've ever sat at a career crossroads and thought about leaving design entirely. No coding background required — just curiosity about what design work could look like when the barriers between ideas and real products start to disappear.