How building with 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.

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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.

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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.