Just confirming - zero stars means you think AI will completely replace this job. Are you sure?
Creative
Graphic Designers: One of the fastest declining jobs, what’s our call?
By LastJobStandingNovember 4, 2025
Resistance Rating: 1.0/5
According to World Economic Forum, Graphic Designers has moved from moderately growing in 2023 to one of the fastest declining job roles in 2025. How bad is the future?
Winds of Change
World Economic Forum attributes the significant change in job prospects for graphic designers in just two years to GenAI's increasing capacity to perform knowledge work(1). This can serve as an indicator of how we have underestimated how fast the capacities of AI would improve, and can be used as a warning for the future. Not only for graphic designers, but also for most knowledge-based professions where little human presence is required.
THE PC Model™ Resistance Rating
No certifications needed to call yourself a graphic designer. AI is cheaper than a human. No unions fighting for you against AI. No turf protection.
Understanding customers needs and visions are relevant. A senior graphic designer might need to navigate client expectations, and translate vague ideas. However, AI will probably better better at this too in 10 years time.
Normally, this isn't the profession where you make major ethical decisions on a daily basis. This is done by creative directors, brand strategists, or senior leadership.
No physical presence is needed. Meetings, if needed, can be done on a digital platform.
Most clients don't need groundbreaking work. Rather they are looking for something that looks professional and is delivered on time. However, sometimes genuine innovation is needed, and AI that's trained on existing work, just doesn't cut it.
Total Resistance Rating
1.0 / 5
Our analysis doesn't give much hope for the future of the graphic designer. On the bright side, graphic design performs better than junior developers and junior HR employees.
One potential life raft might be to transition into UI and UX design. Which according to World Economic Forum, is one of the fastest growing jobs in 2025-2030(1). But given the decline of graphic design from the 2023 to the 2025 report, this might not be the data you should depend your future career on.