Figma Make Design tool found to plagiarise Apple Weather app

Design and prototyping tool Figma was criticised when users discovered its AI-powered Make Design feature generated designs strikingly similar to Apple’s Weather app when they requested a 'weather app'.

The issue was first highlighted by NotBoring Software founder Andy Allen, who found that Figma’s AI appeared to replicate existing app designs. The incident raised questions about the data used to train Figma's AI model and whether it included copyrighted designs.

The finding prompted accusations that Figma's AI tool was directly copying or heavily imitating Apple's proprietary design without permission, and disappointment and concern from the design community over the implications for creative integrity and originality. 

Some designers also expressed concern about the tool replacing their jobs. 

Figma’s CEO, Dylan Field, temporarily disabled the feature in response and blamed the company's actions on its need to meet an event deadline.

The controversy highlighted ethical concerns about AI-generated designs and the potential for inadavertent or deliberate plagiarism. It also underscored the need for safeguards against copyright infringement and the ongoing controversy about the loss of creative jobs.