A word on AI, and the changing world of Design

Technology Changes, Design Endures 

Through all the changes in technology, there has been a constant—the role of design in defining and leading the way forward. Design and technology are more enmeshed than ever, as technical implementation of visionary strategies provide the real proof points and value that are delivered to customers.  

We can’t talk about the future without mentioning AI. As the current bubble subsides, we’re seeing a landscape of bolted-on AI features in enterprise and consumer applications, resulting in inelegant and frankly not-asked-for executions. There’s a significant gap in providing context for us as humans to understand the purpose and reasons why. The successful experiments embed human emotion and intelligence. The work ahead of us, and our purpose as designers, and as curators and tastemakers, is to bring useful, user-centered design back to the fore.  

We must always remember that our designs are created for—and alongside—humans, regardless of how sophisticated AI systems may seem. Humans and artificial intelligence each bring unique strengths to the table. Combining human insight with AI’s capabilities yields a powerful partnership, enabling collaborative analysis of vast data sets while fostering empathetic, ethical, and creative user experiences at scale and speed.

Over time, AI technology will become more beneficial for users, beautifully implemented, and as visible as necessary. As the technology matures, human-led AI initiatives that formalize processes and workflows will emerge, reducing risk and enhancing outcomes. Ultimately, the collaboration between humans and technology, will drive innovation forward, with Design leading the way.