(TLDR: I am sharing vids that helped me, i used the program like any other graphic program pre-2022, and I turned the ai sharing off. I am also using a free account on the figma website. which makes it easier to avoid most ai features because a lot of them are paywalled. Lastly, with the free account they limit how many files you can have, but regardless you can save your files locally (on your device) and import them back when you want to open them again. there, full workaround if you have to or want to learn figma. I hope this helps. )
Long version: : This is if you have to use figma but don;t want to touch any of the ai mess. I am doing some testing and operating on free account. I've been seeing a fair amount of graphic jobs asking or requiring experience with it so I decided to dabble with it. I found it be be riddled with ai and continuously pushing it but luckily it was a functional program pre- genai so I'm able to use it just fine without touching any of it.
I was able to make these the other day. Might be shabby but I did it. Both done without gen ai and with the available tools allotted. So yes you very much can use Figma without touching its ai just fine.
...I question the ethics of still using programs that incorporate gen ai, even if you don't use gen ai itself, you are still using a program that contains it. Maybe by nit using such ai features it shows the company you aren't interested in those aspects they keep shoving and it still does something positive, or simply using it is allowing them the excuse to keep cramming such environmentally and socially damaging tech into the general public? Idk. Its something to consider. But if You HAVE to use figma but have concerns of it's gen ai then rest assured you can use figma just fine without it .
Even better, They were also sure to place most ai usage behind a paywal so a free account makes it even easier to avoid- with the caveat that it severely limits the number of save files you can have for each version of said program. 3 for design , 3 for figmajam , 3 for slides, ect. which I think its shot out because Canva doesn't limit you and it does a lot of the same things but that's just me. Industry standard doesn't always mean good or fair, it means whatever most used monopily or standard the industry uses the most. Adobe is a good example, especially since it sucks but its competitors don't get the same lime light because its so stuck as "standard" despite being subpar in a lot of ways...But I digress.
I hate that several graphic programs/software have shoehorned gen ai into their services but juts because they are crammed in there doesn't mean you have to use em. (And in some cases pay for them. ew.)
Here's how to turn off training for ai (I don't trust it and believe its superficial but its something I am sure can be used in court later.)
it isn't beyond me that they made the ai training off switch so tucked away but here is a visual to go with the vid.
I genuinely don't see why companies feel entitled to our work without pay but expect us to accept it being sold back to us? I am not your employee, you don't get my work. You spamming ads to me on my account should be payment enough...
Now if your employer tries to force you to use ai, that is a different story. (Can be hard looking for a new job in this market but if an employer has to force me to use something unneeded that impedes my work and morals, I'd start looking in other places. Perhaps employ malicious compliance?) But If left to your own devices and with no hireups meddling, You really don't need to use any of the ai and you don't have to. the program works like any other graphic software pre-2022.
Speaking of pre-2022, I have a couple of videos that help you learn Figma without the gen ai shilling a lot of folks are doing now a days. (I hated that they flooded the search when I tried to look for beginner tutorials so here are some for you and me.)
and
Or to keep it simple , you can just search figma tutorial vids before the date 2022. (And If you already figured that out then you good to go!)
Even with all of that, I still prefer affinity suite for my graphics.
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