6 min read

Top 15 AI Tools for UI Design: Features, Benefits, and How to Use Them

Discover the most advanced AI tools for UI design, their features, and how they can transform your workflow. Learn how these tools simplify and revolutionize modern design.

December 2, 2024

A realistic image inspired by Uizard's design platform, showcasing a computer monitor on a minimalist desk. The screen displays an AI-generated user interface design with components such as buttons, text fields, and colorful placeholders for images and text. The desk features a sleek keyboard and mouse, set against a plain, light background to emphasize the simplicity and functionality of the design tool.

Why Use AI Tools for UI Design?

Using AI tools in UI design offers several advantages:

  1. Increased Efficiency: Automates repetitive tasks like resizing, layout generation, and prototyping.
  2. Enhanced Creativity: Suggests design ideas and elements based on current trends and best practices.
  3. Consistency Across Designs: Ensures that brand guidelines and styles are applied uniformly.
  4. Ease of Prototyping: Quickly generates high-quality prototypes to test user interactions.
  5. Accessibility: Makes professional design tools accessible to those without formal training.

 

Top 15 AI Tools for UI Design

1. Figma with FigJam and AI Plugins

Overview:
Figma is a collaborative cloud-based design tool that integrates AI plugins to automate workflows and enhance design accuracy. Its FigJam feature is a collaborative whiteboard for brainstorming, making it ideal for team projects.

Key Features:

  • Smart Suggestions: Offers AI-based recommendations for layouts and design enhancements.
  • Community Plugins: Plugins like Autoname for layer naming and Remove BG for image background removal.
  • Prototyping Tools: Build interactive prototypes with seamless transitions.

Best For:
Collaborative teams needing real-time updates and shared workspaces.

 

2. Adobe XD with Adobe Firefly

Overview:
Adobe XD integrates with Adobe Firefly, an AI-powered design engine that allows users to create visually appealing interfaces with minimal effort. It bridges the gap between design and prototyping with a robust toolkit.

Key Features:

  • AI-Powered Layouts: Automatically adjust layouts for different devices.
  • Voice-Activated Prototyping: Design and test voice-enabled interfaces.
  • Auto-Animate: AI automates transitions between artboards for polished animations.

Best For:
Designers in the Adobe ecosystem creating multi-platform UI designs.

 

3. Sketch with AI Assistants

Overview:
Sketch is a vector-based UI design tool known for its AI-enhanced plugins that simplify wireframing and prototyping.

Key Features:

  • AI Layout Suggestions: Dynamically adjust layouts for different screens.
  • Code Integration: Plugins like Sketch2React convert designs into responsive code.
  • Shared Libraries: Maintain consistent design components across projects.

Best For:
UI and UX designers focusing on pixel-perfect designs.

 

4. Uizard

Overview:
Uizard is an intuitive AI tool that converts hand-drawn sketches into professional UI designs, making it perfect for rapid prototyping.

Key Features:

  • Sketch Recognition: Transforms sketches into editable UI components.
  • Theme Customization: Generate design themes from uploaded images or mockups.
  • Drag-and-Drop Editor: Easily adjust layouts and elements.

Best For:
Beginners and non-designers creating mockups and prototypes.

 

5. Framer

Overview:
Framer combines design and development by offering AI-driven tools for creating interactive prototypes with advanced animations.

Key Features:

  • Code-Free Prototyping: Create animations and interactions without writing code.
  • AI Design Enhancements: Offers intelligent suggestions for UI improvements.
  • Real-Time Preview: Preview prototypes instantly on different devices.

Best For:
Designers seeking high-quality prototypes with interactive elements.

 

6. Canva Pro with Magic Design

Overview:
Canva Pro is a user-friendly platform with AI-powered features like Magic Design, making it accessible for creating professional UI designs.

Key Features:

  • Drag-and-Drop Editor: Easily customize templates.
  • AI Suggestions: Offers layout and font recommendations based on your content.
  • Magic Resize: Automatically adjust designs for different screen sizes.

Best For:
Small businesses and marketing teams creating visually appealing interfaces.

 

7. Durable Design Assistant

Overview:
Durable is an AI-powered tool tailored for small businesses and entrepreneurs, focusing on creating professional UI designs quickly.

Key Features:

  • Instant Mockups: Generate website mockups within minutes.
  • AI-Powered Branding: Aligns designs with your brand's style guide.
  • Content Suggestions: Automatically generates text and UI copy.

Best For:
Entrepreneurs launching quick design projects with minimal effort.

 

8. Designify

Overview:
Designify automates visual editing tasks, focusing on creating polished UI components for e-commerce and product visuals.

Key Features:

  • Batch Processing: Apply consistent edits across multiple assets.
  • AI Enhancements: Automatically optimize lighting and colors for visuals.
  • Background Removal: Instantly remove or replace backgrounds in images.

Best For:
E-commerce professionals and UI designers managing product assets.

 

9. Zeplin

Overview:
Zeplin bridges the gap between design and development, ensuring seamless handoffs between designers and developers.

Key Features:

  • Design-to-Code Translation: Automatically generates CSS, Swift, and Android code snippets.
  • Style Guide Management: Create centralized style guides for consistent branding.
  • Team Collaboration: Facilitates real-time updates and feedback.

Best For:
Teams working on collaborative projects requiring precise developer handoffs.

 

10. Remove.bg

Overview:
Remove.bg is an AI tool that specializes in background removal, helping designers create clean, professional UI assets.

Key Features:

  • Instant Background Removal: Process images in seconds with AI.
  • Integration with Design Tools: Works seamlessly with Photoshop, Figma, and Canva.
  • Batch Editing: Process multiple images simultaneously.

Best For:
Designers needing quick and consistent asset editing.

 

11. RelayThat

Overview:
RelayThat automates branding and layout tasks, allowing designers to focus on creativity.

Key Features:

  • Dynamic Resizing: Automatically adjust designs for multiple platforms.
  • Brand Consistency: Ensures alignment with brand guidelines.
  • One-Click Layouts: AI suggests optimized layouts for different use cases.

Best For:
Marketers and designers focused on branding consistency.

 

12. Magician (Figma Plugin)

Overview:
Magician is a Figma plugin that uses AI to generate design ideas, content, and illustrations directly within Figma.

Key Features:

  • AI-Powered Content: Generate text, icons, and illustrations instantly.
  • Idea Suggestions: AI offers creative solutions for design challenges.
  • Seamless Integration: Works within Figma for a smooth workflow.

Best For:
Figma users looking to enhance their creativity with AI assistance.

 

13. Remove.bg

Overview:
An essential tool for processing images, Remove.bg uses AI to eliminate backgrounds from photos, making it easier to incorporate clean visuals into UI designs.

Key Features:

  • Fast Background Removal: Processes images in seconds.
  • Batch Processing: Edit multiple images at once.
  • Integration Ready: Seamless plugin for tools like Photoshop and Figma.

Best For:
E-commerce professionals and web designers working with product visuals.

 

14. Runway ML

Overview:
Runway ML is an AI tool for creating and editing visual content, perfect for adding dynamic visuals to UI projects.

Key Features:

  • Text-to-Image Generation: Convert textual descriptions into visuals.
  • AI-Assisted Editing: Modify videos and images with AI-powered tools.
  • Real-Time Collaboration: Work with team members in real-time.

Best For:
Teams incorporating multimedia elements into UI designs.

 

15. Khroma

Overview:
Khroma is an AI-powered color palette generator that helps designers create visually harmonious UIs.

Key Features:

  • AI-Generated Palettes: Personalized color recommendations based on preferences.
  • Palette Library: Access thousands of curated palettes.
  • Real-Time Previews: Test color schemes in mockups.

Best For:
Designers prioritizing aesthetics and branding.

 

Choosing the Right AI Tool

With so many tools available, selecting the right one depends on your specific needs:

  1. Skill Level: Beginners may benefit from intuitive tools like Canva and Uizard, while professionals might prefer Figma or Sketch.
  2. Budget: Free tools like Magician or Remove.bg offer excellent starting points, while paid tools like Adobe XD provide robust functionality.
  3. Project Scope: For in-depth projects, tools like Figma or Framer are ideal.

 

The Future of AI in UI Design

The integration of AI into UI design is only the beginning. Emerging trends include:

  • Voice and Gesture Integration: AI will enhance interfaces that interact via voice commands or gestures.
  • Automated Usability Testing: AI will analyze and optimize designs for user behavior.
  • Augmented Reality UIs: Tools will focus on creating AR-based interfaces for immersive experiences.