UX design
MediumOpaque systems, future of wearables, generative design, the agentic AI shift
"How do we know when to trust what someone tells us? In person conversations give us many subtle cues we might pick up on, but when they happen with AI system designed to sound perfectly human, we lose any sort of frame of reference we may have.
With every new model, conversational AI sounds more and more genuinely intelligent and human-like, so much so that every day, millions of people chat with these systems as if talking to their most knowledgeable friend. This creates exactly the setup for misplaced trust: trust works best when paired with critical thinking, but the more we rely on these systems, the worse we get at it, ending up in this odd feedback loop that's surprisingly difficult to escape."
"Us designers love to talk about tools, processes, and skills. We debate software, trade shortcuts, and show off case studies filled with research frameworks and clever flows. All useful things. But what rarely gets talked about and showcased in portfolios is the one thing that actually makes a designer memorable: taste."
"Entry-level jobs are disappearing. In their place: unpaid gigs, cold DMs and self-starters scrambling for a foothold. The ladder's gone - what's replacing it, and who's being left behind? Visual artists, illustrators and graphic designers share their stories about how AI is being used to lower wages, degrade work and even replace it altogether, in this installment of AI Killed My Job."
People rely on subtle in-person cues to judge trustworthiness, but conversational AI mimics those cues without human grounding, undermining reliable frames of reference. Increasingly human-like models lead millions to treat AI as an expert friend, which encourages misplaced trust and weakens critical thinking. Designers should emphasize taste in addition to tools and processes to remain memorable and effective. Entry-level design roles are disappearing, often replaced by unpaid gigs and informal outreach, leaving newcomers at a disadvantage. Visual artists and designers face wage erosion and job displacement as AI is used to lower costs and replace creative labor.