{"id":10926,"date":"2024-09-29T11:40:01","date_gmt":"2024-09-29T11:40:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/?p=10926"},"modified":"2024-09-30T00:47:48","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T00:47:48","slug":"how-to-design-for-ai-first-products","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/how-to-design-for-ai-first-products\/","title":{"rendered":"How to design for AI-first products"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since the initial rise of AI, designers have found themselves navigating new challenges and opportunities, such as \u201cHow do we leverage AI to make us more efficient?\u201d and \u201cHow can we incorporate AI into our existing products to provide a better user experience?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With AI-first products, however, designers must instead ask themselves: \u201cHow can we leverage AI to solve our users\u2019 most pressing problems?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And, from there: \u201cHow do we build a product founded entirely on AI? How do we design for a rapidly advancing technology and make it usable and user-friendly for humans? And how do we address the ethical concerns inherent in this technology?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Still in its infancy, this burgeoning field currently poses many more questions than answers. Let\u2019s unpack what we know so far about AI-first product design\u2014and what it means for designers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

What is an AI-first product? (With examples)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

AI-first products are built entirely on and around artificial intelligence. Rather than adding AI-powered features to an existing app or software, the entire product concept is rooted in AI.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With AI-first design, artificial intelligence is absolutely integral to the product\u2019s purpose and functionality. If you removed the AI from an AI-first product, it simply wouldn\u2019t work or provide any value.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Consider a product like ChatGPT or Midjourney. Without AI, ChatGPT or Midjourney wouldn\u2019t be able to serve its core purpose of understanding your questions or prompts and generating a response.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another example of an AI-first product is Amazon Alexa\u2014the virtual assistant behind smart devices such as the Amazon Echo speaker.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Alexa uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) and machine learning to understand verbal instructions, generate spoken responses, and continuously learn the user\u2019s preferences over time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you took that AI technology away, Alexa would cease to exist\u2014and that\u2019s the very definition of an AI-first product.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At present, there aren\u2019t many truly AI-first products on the market. But, as AI becomes increasingly widespread, we can expect a gradual shift from \u201cAI-enhanced products\u201d to \u201cAI-first products\u201d, where AI is the starting point for new concepts and solutions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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[GET CERTIFIED IN PRODUCT DESIGN (UX & UI)]<\/p>\n Enrol now in our Product Design Programme<\/span>\n <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

So what will that process look like? How will AI-first product design differ from product design as we know it? Let\u2019s explore.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AI-first product design vs. traditional product design: What\u2019s the difference?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

At this point, it\u2019s important to emphasise that AI-first product design is still very much in its infancy. There are no hard-and-fast guidelines, processes, or principles in place, and there\u2019s still much to be figured out and discovered.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As such, it\u2019s impossible to speak definitively about how AI-first product design will differ from what we\u2019ll call traditional <\/span>product design<\/span><\/a>. But, based on what we know so far, there are already some clear and notable distinctions to be made\u2014which we\u2019ll delve into now.<\/span><\/p>\n

AI-first product design asks different questions<\/strong><\/h3>\n

With AI-first product design, it\u2019s not a question of \u201cHow can we improve our existing product with AI?\u201d or \u201cHow can we design a product that effectively incorporates AI?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rather, it\u2019s a question of \u201cHow can AI solve this specific problem that our user group has?\u201d and \u201cHow do we present that solution in the form of an accurate, effective, and user-friendly product?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The entire problem space, and subsequent ideation, concept development, and product design, is considered through the lens of AI. AI is the solution itself, not simply an add-on\u2014and that reframes how designers approach the entire process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AI-first product design is even more collaborative and cross-functional<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Traditional product design is highly cross-functional, requiring close collaboration between <\/span>UX researchers<\/span><\/a>, UX designers, <\/span>UI designers<\/span><\/a>, developers, and business stakeholders.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AI-first product design will take that up a notch, requiring input from an even broader range of experts\u2014including data scientists, AI-specialised researchers, and, in an ideal world, dedicated ethicists who are equipped to tackle critical challenges such as bias, privacy concerns, and potential risks to the user.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AI-first product design is data-dependent, not just data-driven\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Data is a crucial component of the <\/span>design process<\/span><\/a>. The best products are informed by qualitative and quantitative data gathered through extensive user research and continuous <\/span>product testing<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If traditional product design is data-driven, AI-first product design is data-dependent. AI-first products must continuously learn and adapt to provide a great user experience, and that requires ongoing data collection and analysis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the realm of AI-first, data is not just a best-practice approach; it\u2019s integral to both the design process and the AI-first product itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

AI-first product design grapples with more complex user journeys\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When designing apps and websites, you\u2019re typically creating a static solution; a product or interface that won\u2019t change or vary too much from one user to the next. As such, you can usually map out fairly neat, straightforward user journeys.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With AI-first products, on the other hand, you\u2019re designing solutions that can adapt to each individual user and interaction in real-time\u2014creating a much more dynamic and personalised experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a result, the user journey is not so easily contained or defined. In theory, there are myriad pathways and possibilities for how the user journey might take shape\u2014and it could be completely different for each unique user.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Product designers will need to rethink their approach to user journey mapping, striving not for a finite set of clearly-defined pathways, but rather, embracing flexibility, adaptability, and the unknown.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking of the unknown\u2026the differences we\u2019ve outlined here between traditional and AI-first product design are really just the tip of the iceberg. There are still many, many question marks hanging over this emerging discipline\u2014and many more differences, and indeed similarities, that will come to the fore as the field evolves and matures.<\/span><\/p>\n

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[GET CERTIFIED IN PRODUCT DESIGN (UX & UI)]<\/p>\n Enrol now in our Product Design Programme<\/span>\n <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

The challenges of designing for AI-first products<\/strong><\/h2>\n

AI-first product design holds huge potential for designers and end users alike\u2014but getting it right will be a major challenge, with plenty of trial-and-error along the way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the biggest challenges associated with designing AI-first products include:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n