Linkedin Post from a Pinterest designer reading: "Yesterday I was impacted by the Pinterest layoffs. I was Pinterest's only icon designer and product illustrator.
In his email to the company, the CEO said "we’re doubling down on an AI-forward approach – prioritizing AI-focused roles, teams, and ways of working". I WAS working on AI projects including the Pinterest Assistant that soft-launched in October. If you haven't heard about that feature launch, you can find it on Pinterest's own newsroom or with a Google search.
I was vocal internally about how our users don't want AI slop or features on the platform, how we as employees are feeling uncomfortable and discouraged about AI, and what I wanted from leadership. Last year, I told my manager I was worried about AI-based layoffs. I was told not to worry. At an onsite, we were told that "in the future", we would all be "managers of AIs". That I would be expected to manage some sort of AI employees, rather than craft and design my own work.
Human-made art and design matter. I am never going to stop creating, even if the "home of inspiration" decides that creators are secondary to profits.
If you want to support me, you can follow me on threads or instagram @bonniekatewolf where I post my hand-knit sweaters and oil paintings. If you want to hire a human illustrator, designer, or iconographer, my email and DMs are open for freelance, contract, or FTE roles."
Pinterest CEO says in layoff email: "We’re doubling down on an AI-forward approach – prioritizing AI-focused roles, teams, and ways of working"
So it's time for me to move to another platform to save images