AI vs. UI: Getting a Handle on the Real Revolution

Over the last few years, the term “AI Revolution” has been used in so many contexts. The list of things AI is set to revolutionize is long and growing longer: healthcare, workplace productivity, personal entertainment, dating, education, transportation, the list goes on.

This is not necessarily inaccurate. All of those things listed above really are in the process of being revolutionized. The key distinction is in the terminology. “AI,” as a term, is too all-encompassing. In its lack of precision, it fails to capture the nature of the changes that are occurring right now. In fact, one could argue that the revolution right now can be more accurately labeled a UI/UX revolution—a revolution in the ways users interact with AI technology.

Also Read: Balancing Speed and Safety When Implementing a New AI Service

AI is Not “New”

Given the uptick in media coverage, it’s very plausible for a layperson to think AI was invented two years ago, concurrently with the launch of ChatGPT. Of course, that is not the case: versions of today’s AI/ML technology have been in use for decades. To cite just one prominent example, Netflix’s recommendation engine has been powered by machine learning since at least 2006. Netflix notes what viewers enjoyed and then serves up more content like it.

This same logic has powered social media feeds for a decade-plus and its chief quality is its invisibility: this is technology that operates behind the scenes, enhancing the user experience without drawing attention to itself. Beyond recommendation engines, users can see this functionality at play in such services as spam filtering and financial fraud detection. AI to this point has been defined by the degree to which users don’t notice it.

AI in the Spotlight

What distinguishes this latest AI epoch is the degree to which AI is noticeable: instead of a hidden entity working its magic from the margins, it’s emerged as the star of the show.

ChatGPT is, of course, the go-to example here. In a relatively short period of time, ChatGPT has embedded itself in the working routines of millions of people across the globe. But—feeling the AI pressure—established companies like Alphabet, Meta and X have also begun to strongly encourage customers to interact with their emerging AI technologies. On Instagram, for instance, users can now make surreal alterations to their photos using AI or lose hours playing around with Meta AI’s chatbots.

Features like these were once the exclusive terrain of specialists—people who know their way around massive datasets. That has changed and these capabilities now belong to everyone, regardless of technical skill level.

The UI/UX Revolution

Many consider the last paradigm shift as notable as the “AI Revolution” was the invention of the internet itself. The framework for what would become the modern consumer internet was fairly well-established by the 1980s. But it was useless for most people because they didn’t have the means to access it.

As with the internet, so too with AI: the real revolution here has to do with user interface (UI) and user experience (UX). Yes, the algorithms have gotten better—but as crucially, they are being surfaced to the user in new, novel and more interactive ways.

Look at voice assistants, for instance. The technology underlying contemporary voice assistants like Siri and Alexa—natural learning processing, voice recognition, machine learning—has existed for a long time. But these disparate technological innovations, however impressive, simply didn’t matter to the average consumer, who had no way to access them. It was only when they were brought together into an affordable, fun, user-friendly package that the real revolution could begin.

Why UI/UX Matters

There is a serious lesson here, one that practitioners and developers would be wise to take to heart. They can build a powerful AI tool—but if that tool isn’t usable, it will never achieve liftoff. The interface isn’t an afterthought—something to worry about once the real work of inventing the technology is finished. In a very real sense, it is the work, and will dictate the way it is experienced in the world. Ultra-powerful technology with subpar UI/UX is like a gorgeously tailored shirt with no arm holes: nice to look at but functionally useless.

Also Read: The Promises, Pitfalls & Personalization of AI in Healthcare

User-friendly AI fosters trust—an increasingly important thing at this time of high consumer skepticism. Transparent design can go a long way towards dispelling some of the concerns that still exist around this technology among everyday users. Interactive dashboards, real-time analytics and customizable features empower users and help developers avoid some of the mistakes of the last few decades.

This can be a tricky balancing act. Developers are looking for a sweet spot between too-complex and too-simplistic. In today’s tech culture, one can err on the side of slight complexity—consumers are more savvy and adaptable than typically supposed. This is especially the case when it comes to data protection, about which consumers are better-informed than at any point in the internet’s history. Developers absolutely have a responsibility to help users understand what data is being collected and how it’s being used.

Undoubtedly, the lines between AI and UI/UX are blurring and will continue to blur. Over the next few years, the products that make the most significant impact will be the ones that can seamlessly blend advanced technology with intuitive design—opening up a world of possibilities for everyday users and employing the potential of this new technology to the fullest.

[To share your insights with us as part of editorial or sponsored content, please write to psen@itechseries.com]