WhatsInDemand / will AI replace…
Will AI replace design directors?
Based on live job postings — updated September 2026
Not yet — employers aren't cutting design directors. They're asking them to use AI.
There are 133 live design directors openings right now. Across the roughly 3,300 fast-growing companies we track, 54% of current design directors openings now ask for AI skills. The work is changing, not going away.
133live openings
54%ask for AI skills
13%remote
95companies hiring
What AI is actually changing
AI shows up directly in these openings: Artificial Intelligence. That is the part of the job changing fastest.
Employers still ask most for: Communication, Collaboration, Design Systems, Product Design, UX Design, Prototyping — the parts of the work people are hired to own.
Who's hiring right now
| Company | Open roles |
|---|---|
| Omnicom Media | 5 |
| Landor | 4 |
| Redwood Materials | 4 |
| Wargaming | 4 |
| Astera Labs | 3 |
| Okta | 3 |
See the full Design Director data page →