Note: I’m not putting this here for discussion, this is feedback for Figma themselves.
I was dismayed to see Figma have added AI features, without proper notice to users, or even the most basic functionality for controlling it.
Opting users in by default is sketchy as hell. I understand all the business reasons for it, but I feel the way they’ve gone about it is disrespectful. Moreover, Figma has introduced this feature without even properly implementing opt-out. From the relevant docs:
"Drafts
Opting out of AI features for a team will apply to files in a team, but not an individual user’s drafts.
Personal drafts: AI features are available in someone’s personal drafts for Starter and Professional teams and cannot be disabled at this time."
So I’ve been opted in, with no option to change that? I should be given proper control over if my design files are used as part of AI training. Unilaterally adding this feature without consultation, notice or even the proper controls is user hostile, regardless if the ToS allows it, if it’s legal, or what the business reasons are.
Thank you for taking the time to write to us! We take feedback from our community seriously, and so I want you to know I’ll be sharing this message with my colleagues internally so we can ensure future changes continue to evolve in a way that best fits our users.
To be clear, no data is sent to OpenAI unless you or your users interact with and share data into the AI powered tools. Figma is not sending your data to OpenAI in the background - only at your express direction when you use the tools.
Opting out of the AI features through the toggle in the admin panel disables the Figma AI product features and stops data being shared with OpenAI for processing. AI features cannot be disabled in starter and pro team personal drafts due to technical limitations around how permissions work for personal drafts at this time.
If you are concerned about AI tools available in personal drafts, you can choose not to use the AI tools clearly marked as “AI Beta features” in product or move any personal drafts into a specific team folder to have the team settings applied to it.