The kerning on the pope’s tombstone and a big year for design.

2025: The year they fucked up the kerning on the big guy’s tombstone and it made the New York Times.

In other news, Mayor-elect Mamdani won the vote, and his branding took its own victory lap. We had a Figma IPO that lived up to the hype and way too much chat about Apple’s Liquid Glass. Lots to applaud. Design in the limelight.

Meanwhile, an existential crisis loomed for human creatives of every persuasion. Like in any good story, there was jeopardy… Were they, along with their awkward human ways, about to become defunct, superfluous – victims of AI?

But before humans even had a chance to press Command-Q in angry resignation, we were back. Storytelling was cool once again.

Once the novelty wore off, we were left staring at the output…

AI slop. Taste. Creativity. Moats. Craft. Feelings. AI slop. Humans. Taste. Craft. AI slop. Taste.

We also saw Big Tech double down on design leadership. Even OpenAI decided to get into bed with design legend, Jony Ive. Shut the front door.

For me, it’s bigger than all of this, and it’s personal. Design has always been the thing. It’s helped me impose structure, meaning, and coherence. I love design’s sheer breadth, its ability to make or break almost anything. It’s structure and emotion. Systems and story. Cognitive as much as it is aesthetic.

On a biological level, design is fundamental. We process visual stimuli faster; well-targeted design wins. That’s not changing anytime soon.

Looking forward to this year I’m excited for design. And designers – the whole spectrum of them, from the pixel pusher to the tastemaker. I'm pleased their impact is being lauded. Long may they bask in the limelight.

Yes, it’s just one part of the smorgasbord of disciplines needed for great storytelling. But it’s a critical one.

Now, I'm not the Pope. No, seriously, I'm not. But if I was, I'd be livid.