Digital products and services are experiencing another challenging inflection point, with cautious and shrinking product organisations offset by the as-yet undefined promise and potential of AI augmentation. Design practitioners are right to be nervous, as components of our core craft become increasingly commodified by automated solutions. At the same time, the current AI goldrush risks driving us towards a series of potential negative outcomes: a flooded marketplace, customer fatigue, and potentially serious long-term harms. In a concise and rousing talk, I hope to highlight how designers are already well placed to shape the future of digital experiences, and can be empowered further by a handful of intentional shifts in where we apply our ‘pressure points of design’ within our teams, organisations and client relationships. Far from being sidelined, I believe by challenging some of our assumed ways of working and changing the conversation, design practice can emerge stronger and more crucial than ever.