Figma's expansion into multiple products (FigJam, Slides) wasn't based on abstract strategy but on observing users pushing the main design tool to its limits for unintended use cases. Identifying these 'hacks' revealed validated market needs for dedicated products.

AI's primary impact on design isn't just making it accessible. For experts, it's a tool to rapidly explore a vast space of creative possibilities. This allows them to sample far more options and apply their taste and intentionality to a much broader canvas than was previously possible.

The explosion in Netlify's user growth is a direct result of AI lowering the barrier to software creation. The new user base consists of marketers, designers, and product managers, indicating a massive expansion of the total addressable market for developer tools from millions to billions.

Hera's target is not just existing After Effects users, but the larger market of people who need motion graphics but find professional tools too complex or expensive. By lowering the barrier to entry, AI tools create entirely new markets of creators, much like Airbnb did for home rentals.

Initial data suggested the market for design tools was too small to build a large business. Figma's founders bet on the trend that design was becoming a key business differentiator, which would force the market to expand. They focused on building for the trend, not the existing TAM.

AI tools are breaking down communication silos. Marketers no longer need to write lengthy briefs to describe their vision; they can use AI to generate functional prototypes and landing pages, visually demonstrating exactly what's in their head and revolutionizing cross-team collaboration.

Figma's data shows nearly two-thirds of its users identify with two or more roles (e.g., design, product, engineering). This suggests a shift away from rigid professional lanes. People increasingly see themselves as generalist "product builders," requiring tools that facilitate cross-functional collaboration rather than catering to a single title.

Historically, resource-intensive prototyping (requiring designers and tools like Figma) was reserved for major features. AI tools reduce prototype creation time to minutes, allowing PMs to de-risk even minor features with user testing and solution discovery, improving the entire product's success rate.

Figma's CEO believes AI will create the "10X designer." As AI automates basic design tasks, making "good enough" the new baseline, the premium on true craft and system-level thinking will skyrocket. Designers who can leverage AI to execute a holistic product vision will become indispensable leaders and key drivers of a company's success.