Chapter 1: The Hidden Role of AI in User Experience

Long before generative AI applications and chatbots burst onto the technology scene, artificial intelligence was already enhancing online experiences and optimizing various businesses offline. It was omnipresent, yet often went unnoticed as a subtle element embedded within software applications. If you weren’t attuned to recognizing the signs, it was easy to overlook AI’s presence. This intentional subtlety was a strategy employed by user experience (UX) designers.

AI has traditionally been an understated, seamless part of software applications.

The emphasis on seamlessness has been a core principle in product design. UX designers over the last decade focused on crafting an online environment where positive outcomes occur effortlessly, allowing users to remain blissfully unaware of the underlying complexities. For them, drawing attention to the AI components would be akin to highlighting technical distinctions between JavaScript and HTML—something most users don’t need to understand, as long as everything functions smoothly. The design philosophy for AI components mirrored this approach.

Last decade’s UX design principles prioritized seamless, dependable solutions that required minimal user intervention.

Image modified from Pixabay.

Chapter 2: A Shift in Product Philosophy

Today, we are witnessing a significant shift in product philosophy; users are now encouraged to engage directly with AI components designed for usefulness rather than flawless execution.

Indeed, UX designers are now allowing interactions with AI systems that may produce less-than-perfect results, provided that those results are still valuable. This marks a departure from previous designs where the focus was solely on seamlessness.

In essence, the current “AI” revolution is more accurately described as a transformation in user experience rather than a mere advancement in AI technology.

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The emergence of public tools for generating AI art has catalyzed this shift, as the evaluation of art is subjective, allowing discussions around utility versus correctness. For instance, users might find themselves chuckling at an AI-generated image with “seven fingers,” yet still deem it suitable for their blog after a few adjustments. Following this trend, ChatGPT further elevated user interactions by providing a text-based interface that encouraged the same blend of incorrect yet useful outputs, thus reshaping user expectations regarding AI quality.

This shift signifies a monumental change in what users consider “quality” in AI-generated outputs.

This evolution in user expectations lays the groundwork for new interactions that may have been unthinkable a decade ago. While some established players may face challenges adapting to this new paradigm, the landscape of AI is evolving rapidly.

The essence of this new wave of AI is all about user expectations. Although AI capabilities have been developing for years, the past few months have not been merely about these advancements. When user expectations become the lens through which we analyze the ecosystem, everything begins to make sense. This is a design revolution that is just beginning.

We will continue to explore this journey in Part 2, but to encapsulate the main idea:

Today’s “AI” revolution is fundamentally a revolution in user experience rather than in AI technology itself.

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