It’s time to get real about where AI is headed and trust me, it’s one hell of a ride.
The way we design for AI will define how people interact with products in the future. But to design for it, we need to understand it. AI development happens in five key stages, and knowing where we are right now (and what’s coming next) could be the difference between designing a product that just works and one that truly connects.
​
Let’s take a closer look at these five stages and figure out how they work.

1. Chatbots

Chatbots are the most basic form of AI. They recognize patterns and respond based on pre-programmed scripts. A few weeks ago, I had one of those frustrating customer service experiences. I was trying to return a pair of Nike sneakers, and the chatbot on the website kept looping me through the same canned responses: “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand that. Please try again.” Early AI is like working with a toddler. Helpful within limits, but don’t expect deep understanding.

2. Reasoners

This is where design starts getting interesting. You’re no longer just building a chatbot, you’re creating an experience that adapts to user needs in real time. Personalization becomes deeper and more valuable. The challenge is designing interfaces that let AI do its thing while still giving the user control. We now have what I call the “reasoners”, advanced AIs like the latest ChatGPT and Claude. These bad boys don’t just spit out canned responses. They analyze context, dive deep into conversations, and sometimes make you question if you’re talking to a machine or a damn genius. I remember testing one out and being genuinely impressed, and a little scared, by its ability to piece together insights like a seasoned problem solver. For us UI/UX designers, this evolution challenges us to craft interfaces that can handle this level of depth while still keeping the conversation as engaging as chatting with an old friend.

3. AI Agents

This is where we are now. This is where AI stops being passive and starts doing things for you. Imagine if your digital assistant didn’t just talk the talk but also walked the walk. Whether it’s scheduling meetings, managing your emails, or even juggling more complex tasks, these agents are here to make our lives easier. I’ve seen firsthand how a well-designed agent can save you hours of tedious work time you can spend on the creative stuff that actually fires you up.

4. Innovators

At this stage, AI isn’t just suggesting or acting, it’s discovering new solutions on its own. AI has become a creative partner. It’s not about you manually testing new layouts or copy, it’s about guiding the AI’s creative process. Your role as a designer shifts from execution to strategy. How much freedom do you give AI to experiment? How do you maintain brand consistency when AI is constantly changing things? For designers, this is a control shift. How much autonomy do you give AI before it starts feeling intrusive? How do you keep the user in charge without losing the benefits of automation?
​
Let’s get a little edgy now. Picture an AI that isn’t just reactive but can actually come up with breakthroughs, think of an AI that could one day discover a cure for cancer. It sounds like science fiction, but the idea of innovators in AI pushes us to rethink creativity. I’ve had moments in my own design career where a spark of unconventional thinking led to a game-changing idea, and now, imagine that on steroids with AI. This isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about shaking up the status quo and asking, “How far can we push innovation?” It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most valuable insights come from the unexpected.

5. Full Organization

Finally, let’s dive into the deep end: full organisations, an interconnected network of AI’s that manage tasks, make decisions and potentially challenge our traditional notions of control. Yeah, it sounds like a bad sci-fi movie, but it’s also a wake-up call.
​
Imagine this: you’re a designer, but instead of handling every design task yourself, you have a team of 100 AI agents working under you. Each agent specializes in a different area, one generates wireframes based on user data, another tests button placements for better conversion rates, and others analyze heatmaps, optimize color contrast, and refine typography choices. You’re no longer bogged down by repetitive tasks or guesswork. Instead, you act as the creative director, guiding the AI agents toward your vision. Need to create a user flow for a new app? You brief your agents, and within minutes, they present several optimized variations based on real-time user behavior data. One agent even runs A/B tests on the fly, adjusting the design based on live feedback.
​
Your role shifts from execution to strategy, you define the creative direction, and your AI agents make it happen with precision and speed. The future of design isn’t about working harder, it’s about knowing how to lead AI to create smarter, more intuitive user experiences.

So, why does this matter for Designers?

As designers, we need to think about how we can shape these autonomous ecosystems to ensure they’re aligned with human values. It’s our job to ask the hard questions: How do we build ethical, transparent systems? And more importantly, how do we design interfaces that keep people at the centre of it all?
​
How this changes the role as a Freelancer:
​
Sales and Onboarding:
AI can automate follow-ups and proposal generation, but you still need to build trust and handle strategy.
​
Design Process: AI will handle the repetitive work (like the layout and colour suggestions), but the creative vision remains yours.
​
Client Communication: AI can provide data on how designs perform, but you’ll need to translate that into meaningful insights for the client.
​
Problem-Solving: AI can suggest solutions, but you’ll need to decide which ones align with the client’s goals and brand.
Final Thoughts

So, where does that leave us? As we progress from chatbots to the possibility of fully autonomous AI organizations, potentially within the next 1,000 days. It’s clear that the future is approaching faster than we think. Our role as designers becomes even more critical. We’re not just creating pretty interfaces, we’re shaping the future of human interaction with technology.
​
Stay bold not regular, keep questioning, and as always, happy f***ing designing!