Artificial intelligence products are entering our lives faster than we expected. AI has established a place across industries, from spam filters to self-driving cars - AI surrounds us and influences even the most unexpected areas of life.
UI/UX Design is no exception. Its arrival in the field has given rise to the concept of AI-driven design.
It has been called “algorithm-driven design” and also “intelligent design.” Despite the different names, the underlying idea is the same - nonhuman systems can produce creative results that appear authentic to the human eye.
“Beyond the known ethical and philosophical challenges, and the misunderstandings and questions surrounding its purpose and power,AIcan be a catalyst for excellent user experiences,” - Adyen product designer JoëlvanBodegraven.
In fact,AI is creating new opportunities for designers. AI-driven user experience and interface design represent the future, and that future is already knocking at the door. Even so, the field remains at an early stage.
According to Tim Urban, the development of artificial intelligence has three levels:
Artificial narrow intelligence. At this level, AI cannot perform highly complex tasks associated with creative UX work.
Artificial general intelligence. At this level, machines can undertake more creative tasks, and machine intelligence equals human intelligence.
Artificial superintelligence. At this level, AI is even more “intelligent” than any human.
This leads to an important question: What happens when AI reaches the third stage of development? Will it make human-computer interaction more convenient and help us create exciting, even emotionally intelligent, user experiences? Or will people lose their jobs as machines replace them? Everyone would prefer the first outcome, but at this stage the answer remains speculative.
Is Artificial Intelligence a Friend or Enemy of Designers?
We are not suggesting that machines will become self-aware and recreate the plot of a Terminator movie. Still, some people argue that AI may eventually replace UI/UX design work. The question of whether AI is a friend or enemy of designers has several sides.
AI Is a Friend: The Beginning of a New Era
AI systems can build deeper connections between brands and audiences, strengthening those relationships. They can help us collect and analyze large amounts of data to design products that meet human needs and deliver more approachable experiences.
AI is changing how consumers and companies view user experience. It can provide more innovative insights, closer engagement, more specific usage contexts, faster problem solving, and more intuitive interface design. It can tailor user interfaces to individual preferences, challenge traditional interactions, and add new channels such as intelligent voice interfaces.
AI Is an Enemy: The End Is Near
Will AI replace every human job? How might it displace designers and developers?
AI will not replace designers and developers—at least, perhaps, not in the near future. Do you know how to persuade seven billion people to trust decisions made by an algorithm? No one does.
Humans have a unique ability to bring emotion into design and create empathy for other users.
A mobile APP designer does not decide whether to hide or show a menu solely from how frequently it is used in a project.
A web designer does not decide whether to create a two- or three-column grid solely from the size and number of images.
Most designers certainly do not choose font colors based only on “color psychology.”
AI May Help Us Achieve the User Experience We Have Always Wanted
At its core, AI-driven design creates a new relationship between artificial intelligence and customer experience. Machine-learning-based experiences can operate at a level that is difficult for UX designers to match. They challenge both technology and designers and can elevate user experience design to a new level of digital experience.
Imagine the possibilities of AI-powered UX design. It can improve the user experience by responding to requests automatically and intuitively. AI can react quickly and generate multiple design variations. By adapting from information about user behavior, AI-based algorithms can streamline the user experience in real time.
AI offers further benefits. Frequent use of AI in user experience design can free interfaces from conventional controls and support voice commands, gestures, and more.
According to a recent Adobe survey cited in the source, 62% of designers were interested in AI and the benefits it could bring to the creative process. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are expected to enable the “democratization of creativity” in applications and products.
AI as a UI Designer: How Can It Help Us Create Smarter Designs?
UI design continues to pave the way for a better connection between AI's present and future.
Designer and developer communities have begun working together to deliver AI-powered user experiences in distinctive mobile APPs. As a result, artificial intelligence had become a trend in design and mobile APP development and was gaining popularity in 2019.
Designers have begun using AI-based translation to support design localization. AI also provides deeper insight into which elements users interact with and which require attention.
Robots can now resize images and adjust colors, substantially improving designer efficiency.
Technology announced by Airbnb is a strong example of AI-driven UI. It can recognize design drawings and convert them into code. This gives designers more time to make strategic product decisions—something the source argues computers will need at least a decade to learn.
In Summary
AI can automate repetitive tasks and free time for more strategic aspects of design. Artificial intelligence and machine learning can undoubtedly help us create more personalized, relevant, intelligent, and efficient experiences.
It is time to recognize these opportunities to work with technology - rather than oppose or fear it.
