People are worried about AI—but not all for the same reasons. 

While AI was the number-one challenge respondents named, they ways they described that challenge varied greatly: some expressed fear that the rise of large language models would lead to even more job losses, while others said the biggest challenge would be our own adaptation—“getting too stuck on resisting what’s happening instead of working with it.” Meanwhile, others named the endless hype and online discourse about AI as the biggest challenge, and still others said the real issue would be how much time we’d spend “explaining why we/our team members should not be replaced by AI.” 

It feels so depressing to be in this industry at the moment. The worries around AI and how it will be used to replace us. Is it already happening?

—Senior UX writer, USA 

AI is a threat? I don’t think so, but sometimes our skills are invisible to companies. We should better show our weapons, avoiding panic.

—Lead content strategist, Italy

Layoffs are hitting content teams hard.  

When we collected this data in February 2023, 16% of all respondents said they had been laid off or made redundant within the past year. That percentage has likely increased in recent months, with large layoffs hitting content design and UX writing teams at several major tech companies. Given the landscape, it’s no surprise that layoffs were a top concern for respondents, whether they’d been laid off or not. 

When companies are laying off, why are we the first to go and what does that mean for our industry’s stability going into the future? Are we simply going to be prone to cycles of boom and bust forever or will companies learn to truly value our work?

—Director of strategy, USA 

The layoff trend seems to be forcing people to give up the workers’ rights gains we made in the Great Resignation. How do we work collectively to protect ourselves and each other?

—Senior content designer, USA 

It’s time to stop spending so much time explaining and educating.

“Do we ever stop struggling with gaining visibility and trust from our counterparts?” This question was posed by a content designer from Germany—but it seems almost anyone in the field could have asked it. After all, content designers are routinely asked to invest their time and energy in educating, advocating, and “building influence” with stakeholders and cross-functional peers—in addition to doing their jobs. And many respondents are getting tired of it. 

Multiple respondents told us they thought it was time for content designers and UX writers to stop spending so much energy on defending their practice or proving their value, and instead focus on maturing the discipline itself: deepening industry knowledge, establishing new approaches, and collaborating with peers. 

I think content designers could think a bit bigger and stop trying so hard to defend our contributions. Advocate for better products and services, not micro-moments or inclusion at kickoff.

—Head of design, Sweden 

We spend too much time making decks to prove our value and not enough time coming together as practitioners to define how we work.

—Senior director, content design, USA

Content designers are spread too thin. Doing even more with less is a major risk.

Many respondents told us that they work across multiple product teams or squads, while their peers in product design or UX roles are able to dedicate themselves to a single area. As a result, many feel spread thin across a wide surface area. When you add layoffs and hiring freezes to this chronic under-resourcing, it’s no surprise that you get even more stress and burnout among content teams. 

What’s less discussed, however, is the way being spread thin risks the effectiveness of the work, because it leaves content designers and UX writers less able to dig deep into any one product area or problem, and results in content work that’s relatively shallow—smoothing out strings, tightening up headlines—as opposed to deep language and meaning work. 

My company laid some people off and the design/UX team were very lucky to be unaffected, but now we don’t have the headcount or budget to do any of the things we hoped for this year, so we’re constantly trying to do more with less.

—UX writer, Spain 

Content designers are spread across multiple teams, which wears them thin and randomizes their effectiveness.

—Senior content designer, USA

Interest in the field has outpaced jobs in the field. 

The UX content community has grown rapidly over the past five years—content designer was even named one of LinkedIn’s most in-demand jobs in the UK in 2022. Despite this growth spurt, respondents still reported that there either aren’t enough jobs in the field overall, that career pathways are not defined, or that there aren’t enough roles for junior writers or those transitioning in from related disciplines. “Everyone wants a senior,” as more than one person put it—but where do senior content designers come from if no one hires juniors? 

Further complicating matters is the current climate for layoffs, as well as the fear that AI will lead to fewer content roles in the future. Respondents noted that they were worried about “fresh graduates from bootcamps flooding the market and getting scared when reality hits.” One even reported that they’ve talked with folks trying to transition into content design recently, and told them, “I just don’t see it happening anytime soon.” 

An extremely limited number of entry-level roles, which makes it difficult for folks to enter the field and for maturing content orgs to invest in and grow new talent; and unclear career paths for folks who want to move beyond a senior level.

—Content design lead, USA 

Not advocating for and hiring for apprenticeships and junior roles; only highlighting FAANG roles and companies.

—Senior content design manager, USA

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