Evaluate Motiff's AI features

[kklemon]

Motiff appears to be a relatively new player in the design-tool market with a strong focus on AI. Given the similarities with Penpot in relation to design features as well as their AI ambitions, we should evaluate their AI features both on a functional and technical level and reconsider our own ideas and approaches.

The outcome of this evaluation should maybe comprise of a small presentation for Pablo and the other team members to guide their understanding and decision-making.

[AzazelN28]

• AI Reduplication: allows the user to create "variations" from a base element but with different text and image placeholders.
• AI Layout: Gives some hierarchy to elements, you have two versions: temporal (every time I tests gave me some error) and auto layout.
• AI Design System Creator: Analyzes a Motiff file and extracts its components (Colors grouped by use, hue and lightness, identifies typographies, extracts used icons, buttons and other common components like lists, tags or inputs) to create a Design System file.
• AI Design System Maintainer: Analyzes two or more Motiff files to extract it's differences and do any maintenance operation (add, remove, change styles and components) to keep design systems up to date.
• AI Consistency Checker: Analyzes a Motiff file with a Design System and tries to find inconsistencies in the design.
• AI Generates UI: Generates an entire UI based on a text prompt.
• AI Magic Box: I couldn't test it because I didn't figure out how it works.

[elhombretecla]

From a designer's point of view, both the AI Reduplication and AI Layout features are simply OK. They do good stuff, but they're not relevant to the design workflow. They act more like plugins.

Regarding the AI Lab features, the fundamentals look very promising. I would like to see if they validate the idea of a "Design Copilot" by training the model with file elements to enhance the creation workflow. The AI needs to learn from your prior files and understand design guidelines to find the best-fitting component or text layer. This approach would have a huge impact on the design tools ecosystem.

AI Design System features look like the real value proposition from Motiff for designers. The three features work really well and make working with large DS files easier. I want to highlight the DS Checker, which facilitates the comparison and usage of elements. It's a real investment of time for designers' daily work. However, I feel that the AI DS features don't use as much AI as they want to promote. I mean, they are powerful features but, in my understanding, don't really even need the use of a model to get these results.