New features in Figma Buzz: customizable templates, plugins, and video trimming (1 minute read)
Figma has enhanced its Buzz tool with three major updates: customizable, design system–based templates for adaptable marketing assets; plugin support for integrations with tools like Brandfolder, Lokalise, and LottieFiles; and built-in video trimming. These features aim to streamline collaboration between designers and marketers, keeping content creation efficient and on-brand.
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OpenAI Buys AI Startup that Built Interface for Apple Computers (2 minute read)
OpenAI acquired Software Applications Incorporated, the startup that created Sky, an AI interface that lets Mac users interact with their computers through natural language for tasks like writing, coding, and planning. The 12-member team will join OpenAI. Financial terms have not been disclosed. This marks OpenAI's latest acquisition following previous purchases of Statsig for $1.1 billion and Jony Ive's io for over $6 billion.
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Adobe's Project Indigo camera finally adds iPhone 17 support (1 minute read)
Adobe's Project Indigo app has finally added support for the iPhone 17 series after weeks of incompatibility due to the phones' new square-format front-facing camera sensor. To speed up release, Adobe temporarily disabled access to the selfie camera and is only supporting rear-camera functionality for now. A full fix, including front-camera support, is expected soon.
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Elizabeth Goodspeed on why design studios are making fonts (5 minute read)
Brand designers are increasingly making their own typefaces to gain creative control, ensure distinctiveness, and avoid expensive licensing fees. With tools like Glyphs making font creation more accessible, studios such as Koto, &Walsh, and Order are integrating type design directly into branding work. However, this surge has also led to many underdeveloped or derivative fonts, as tight timelines and limited mentorship reduce craftsmanship. While the trend democratizes access and encourages diversity in type design, it also threatens the sustainability of the professional type industry.
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What trend do you wish would die? (5 minute read)
Speakers shared design trends they'd like to see go at Frontify's Paradigms conference. James Greenfield criticized brands chasing viral social content over real experience, Bianca Berning debunked Comic Sans as a universal dyslexic-friendly font, Nkenna Amadi warned against blindly copying neon trends, Asmah Mansur-Williams advocated for more expressive typefaces, and Jonas Hegi suggested studying disliked trends for inspiration.
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AI in UX: Achieve More With Less (16 minute read)
AI should be treated like an enthusiastic intern with no real-world experience, requiring clear instructions, constant supervision, and thorough verification of outputs. Real client projects demonstrate AI's practical applications across user research, design, development, and content creation, including online research, interview analysis, prototyping, and copywriting. While AI increases productivity by 25-33 percent, it cannot replace human creativity, strategic thinking, or understanding of user experience fundamentals.
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Designing the Jarvis moment (8 minute read)
OpenAI's vision for ChatGPT resembles Tony Stark's JARVIS — a conversational interface where users complete tasks without switching apps. Evolving from plugins to the new Apps SDK, ChatGPT now embeds interactive tools directly in chat through cards, buttons, and widgets. For designers, this means crafting simple, intuitive, context-aware interactions rather than screens, focusing on clarity, minimal steps, and seamless integration across apps.
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Error handling - UX design patterns (12 minute read)
Error handling is a crucial but often overlooked part of UX that can either erode or build user trust. Good design treats errors as opportunities for empathy, guiding users clearly on what went wrong, why, and how to fix it. By distinguishing between slips (right intention, wrong action) and mistakes (wrong intention), designers can create forgiving, informative interfaces that prevent frustration. Errors should appear in context, near their source, and never block progress. Whether they stem from the user, environment, or system, the goal is always calm, supportive recovery that keeps users confident and in control.
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Choosing Friction (10 minute read)
Refusing to use generative AI is a deliberate philosophical choice rooted in schismogenesis—forming identity through opposition to an out-group.
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