Why Speculation Hurts

An analytical essay on this topic is in progress at no-spec.

The piece is being written by no-spec editors. While it is being finalised, here are nearby resources on the site:

• Spec Work - why unpaid pitches are still a bad deal in 2026.
• AI and the Designer - where generative tools belong in a working practice, and where they do not.
• Rates, Contracts, Scope - how to charge fairly, contract clearly, and scope defensibly.
• The Professional Record - the arguments, decisions, and history of the profession.

Speculation in the AI era

The harm compounds when the speculative entry is generated: the client gets undifferentiated output, the designer gets nothing, and nobody can say who made the file. AI mockups are the new unpaid pitch and AI-generated logos and copyright take this up in the Proof of Work pillar.