Industrial designer Nichole Rouillac argues that meaningful hardware design requires human craft and iteration rather than artificial intelligence automation, as she launches a new essay series exploring AI's impact on physical product development. The founder and creative director of level, a San Francisco-based industrial design studio, emphasizes that while AI tools can handle administrative tasks, they cannot replace the essential human elements of designing products that fit the human form and perform reliably.
Rouillac, who has spent her entire career designing hardware, finds deep satisfaction in solving physical problems through prototyping, testing on real bodies, and refining through hands-on experimentation. She describes this process of ergonomic tests, sketches, and mockups as irreplaceable, despite experimenting with AI tools like MidJourney and Vizcom. "They're fun, even entertaining. But they don't get to the heart of what makes great hardware design meaningful," she explains, noting that creating products that stand the test of time requires craft, insight, and iteration that AI cannot yet replicate.
The designer has found AI's greatest benefit lies in handling tedious administrative work rather than core design tasks. AI helps her complete emails, marketing content, and proposals more quickly, allowing more time for sketching, prototyping, and solving complex problems. This "creative rebalancing" enables focus on the most meaningful aspects of design work. Her younger team members experiment with AI tools, but most generated content doesn't meaningfully advance their design process, which requires precision, insight, and physical iteration.
The real excitement for Rouillac's team comes from AI integration within the hardware products they're developing for clients. They're working on products that assist doctors with remote therapy, enhance diagnostic tools, and support patient care in innovative ways. "That's the kind of application that gets us out of bed in the morning," she states, emphasizing that AI's real impact lies in enabling new tools rather than improving the design process itself.
While acknowledging that AI makes specific tasks faster, particularly Photoshop's generative tools which have saved hours of work, Rouillac warns about the risks of prioritizing speed over quality. She compares the current moment to the slow food movement's response to fast food, arguing that faster doesn't always mean better. Some clients have told her that other studios underbid her firm because they use AI to rapidly generate concepts, but she maintains that her value comes from delivery quality rather than speed.
Confidentiality and security concerns present significant barriers to AI tool adoption in her practice. Many clients, from startups to tech giants like Microsoft and Google, require strict confidentiality agreements, and the studio undergoes regular audits and vetting. When startups request testing of cloud-based AI tools, Rouillac's first questions concern security, data access, and leak risks. "In many cases, we can't take that chance. The stakes are simply too high," she explains.
Beyond technical limitations, Rouillac questions whether the world needs more products produced at AI-enabled speeds. Living in California where she has witnessed climate change impacts firsthand through fires, smoke, and devastation, she advocates for "less, but better" rather than increased production volume. She observes that tighter budgets during economic downturns have actually improved quality filters, resulting in fewer frivolous projects and more thoughtful innovation.
The designer emphasizes that meaningful product development requires time for exploration, reflection, and refinement, especially when working on products that could change or save lives. She argues against taking shortcuts in such critical work, advocating instead for "better things, made smarter" rather than simply producing more items faster. This philosophy extends to environmental considerations, as she notes the world is already drowning in landfill-bound goods.
Rouillac's studio level has achieved significant recognition in the industry, with an award-winning portfolio including work for major technology companies. The firm has received top honors including IDEA Gold, Red Dot, iF, and Spark Platinum awards, and was recognized by Fast Company as one of the three Most Innovative Design Companies. Rouillac herself has served as a Core77 Design Awards Jury Captain and member, while level has been honored multiple times, including winning in the 2024 Gaming Accessories category.
As a dedicated advocate for industry diversity, Rouillac formerly chaired IDSA's Women in Design initiative and continues mentoring the next generation of female designers in an industry where women remain underrepresented. Her essay launches the "Hardware is the New Salt" series, supported by Enzzo's AI-first product development platform, which will explore how AI transforms physical product imagination, design, and construction through insights from various thinkers and makers at the intersection of AI and product design.
