Artificial intelligence has dramatically accelerated software development, making it easier than ever to transform ideas into working products. According to Stanford’s recent report, AI performance on a key coding benchmark jumped from 60% to nearly 100% in a single year, while organizational AI adoption reached 88%. As AI capabilities continue to expand, Tingyu Su believes the challenge is no longer simply building software. It is creating products that people immediately understand, trust, and choose to adopt.
According to Su, a startup Founding Designer with experience spanning creative technology, product innovation, and multidisciplinary design, that shift has made the founding designer an increasingly important early hire. She explains that while startups often prioritize engineering talent, they also need someone who can connect product development, branding, and customer experience into a cohesive whole from the very beginning.
“The speed of AI development has changed what companies compete on,” Su says. “Building an early product is becoming more accessible. Creating a brand and experience that people immediately understand, trust, and remember is where lasting differentiation begins.”
