With advancement in technologies and increased data availability popularity of AI has surged in recent years.
AI-powered applications and services offer enhanced user experiences through personalization, automation, and predictive capabilities. From virtual assistants to recommendation systems, AI enhances convenience and efficiency, driving user satisfaction and loyalty.
The widespread adoption of AI across industries has led to intense competition among companies competing to establish themselves as leaders in AI innovation, and why not, we are already in era of 4th Industrial Revolution and elements of the 5th Industrial Revolution are already emerging or will become more prominent in the coming years. AI is not the future anymore, it is the Present.
With AI everywhere, sometimes I wonder, How much of AI is too much of AI?
I’m quite enthusiastic about generative AI, particularly exploring platforms like ChatGPT, Bard, and various AI art generators. It’s not only fascinating but also entertaining, and it exposes me to a wealth of knowledge that I might not have encountered otherwise through conventional search engines like Google.
In my opinion, staying aligned with technological advancements is crucial to avoid falling behind. However, it’s equally important to comprehend the capabilities of technology before following popular trends.
AI features that are not well-integrated with the overall user interface and experience can disrupt the user journey. Excessive automation can lead to a loss of personal touch, frustrating users and potentially driving them away.
Recently, I came across a mobile application of an employment website where a simple form application is replaced with an AI chat bot. Initially, I was in awe that AI is everywhere and has made things so much easier. However, my experience using the chatbot on this app left me frustrated, confused and ultimately, helpless. For example, the primary goal of an online form application is to enhance user experience by providing a straightforward workflow to help candidates update their basic details. Surely we can provide UI supports like options, dropdowns, checkboxes, etc to help users make decisions easily.
Do we really need to transform these fields into individual questions to be answered by AI? I don’t think it’s necessary.
It’s a simple task: launch the app, navigate to your profile, and fill in the required information.
Left image: giving all incomplete fields to choose which I need to update, then choose 'Add photo', and giving a link where to upload the profile photo.
Surely we can provide Chatbot support to the candidate in case they need immediate support or or need clarification.
As a user, one feature I would want in an employment application is assistance in preparing for interviews based on my resume information, but do I really want it to vanish after one click? Not really!
Left image: once clicked on "start preparing", return back to home page, this card vanishes
Implementing automation without UX considerations can lead to negative impacts on user journeys, it can erode user trust. It is important to maintain a human-centered approach in UX design even as automation technologies are integrated.
Indeed “with great power comes great responsibility”!
It is our responsibility too as UX designers to implement automation thoughtfully and with consideration for the user’s needs and context.
