Figma vs Adobe: Lessons in AI, Innovation & the Future of Work
Why did Figma outpace Adobe, and what does this teach us about AI, disruption, and the knowledge economy? In this episode of The Innovation Show, host Aidan McCullen welcomes bestselling author Sangeet Paul Choudary (Platform Revolution, Reshuffle) to explore how startups beat incumbents when technology reshapes entire industries.
Using the powerful case study of Figma vs Adobe, we uncover why incumbents often fail—not because of lack of innovation, but because they struggle to unlearn outdated architectures. Figma’s element-based, cloud-first design model disrupted Adobe’s file-centric approach, offering collaboration, governance, and scalability that legacy tools couldn’t match.
🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Why mindset and unlearning matter more than simply adopting new tools
- How AI unbundles knowledge work and changes career paths
- Why governance workflows are the hidden driver of enterprise innovation
- The role of the forgetting curve in leadership and innovation
- How to prepare your career and organization for the AI-driven future of work
This episode is essential listening for business leaders, innovators, designers, and professionals navigating digital transformation, AI disruption, and structural uncertainty in today’s fast-changing world.
📚 Resources & Links
• Reshuffle: Who Wins When AI Reshapes the Knowledge Economy → https://amzn.to/3HWwj1I
• Platform Revolution → https://amzn.to/4mBq2aQ
• Sangeet’s Substack → https://substack.com/@platforms/posts
• Aidan’s show notes → https://thethursdaythought.substack.com
🎙️ Listen now to learn how to reshuffle your thinking, your organization, and your career for the AI-driven future.