🧂Why AI Products Need Better Design More Than Ever

Hey there. Happy Saturday! Today, I want to share some thoughts on designing for AI products.

As chat-based AI experiences become more prominent, many assume there’s minimal UX to design. While having a robust distribution channel and leveraging data as moats are essential differentiators for AI companies, great design can make a product stand out in the crowded AI landscape—especially as startups aim to scale.

I've noticed too many AI products resemble OpenAI: similar logos, interfaces, and overall experiences. Since AI experiences rely heavily on backend systems that deliver powerful results in chat interactions, creating a unique brand, UI, and interaction is crucial for differentiation.

Designers with a strong sense of branding and visuals can elevate an AI product, making it memorable. Here are a few areas where designers can make a difference, even with products similar to OpenAI:

1. A UI that connects with the brand (and shapes instant trust)

People form an impression of your product in 50 milliseconds. Before reading a single word, users decide:

• Does this feel credible?

• Is this brand for me?

• Do I trust the intelligence behind this?

OpenAI can get away with minimalism because they’re the category creator. But newer AI products must compensate for lack of brand recognition by crafting:

• a distinct visual identity

• emotional cues that communicate personality

• a “why choose us?” signal embedded in the UI

Claude and Pi do this well—not because their UIs are complicated, but because they feel different.
Emotionally coherent. Intentionally branded.
That feeling becomes a memory. And memory creates return visits.

A unique UI is not decoration—it’s identity formation.

2. The waiting/loading experience (shaping perceived intelligence)

Users don’t evaluate AI based on actual speed—they evaluate it based on perceived speed and emotional experience during the wait.

A 12-second computation may be objectively impressive, but the brain only registers:

Design can transform waiting from frustration into reassurance.

Examples include:

• Showing progress (“Analyzing 40 sources… Synthesizing insights…”)

• Using motion that conveys intelligence rather than delay

• Telling a micro-story about what the AI is doing

This turns a cold technical wait into a moment of transparency, increasing trust in the system.

The right loading design makes the AI feel thoughtful—rather than slow.

3. Layout and composition (shaping attention and cognitive load)

Where you place your chat box, history panel, or navigation isn’t just UI preference. It shapes:

• how users think

• where they focus

• how much effort it takes to understand the experience

When an AI founder asked me where his chat should sit within an e-commerce product, he assumed the only option was “bottom right.” But that pattern comes from customer support bots—not AI agents.

Context matters.

If the user is shopping, the AI may need a more visible, integrated location.
If the user is browsing long-form content, a side panel might reduce cognitive switching.
If the product is research-heavy, a multi-pane layout might reinforce comprehension.

The layout becomes the mental model users adopt for your AI.

Changing the layout changes how the brain organizes information—and how valuable the product feels.

4. Unique typography and interaction (shaping emotional tone and memory)

Typography is not just visual styling—it sets the voice and personality of your product.

Most AI tools default to the same neutral sans-serif styles. But users subconsciously respond to:

• warmth vs neutrality

• strength vs friendliness

• confidence vs playfulness

• clarity vs complexity

When everyone “wears the same black t-shirt,” nothing feels distinct.
A unique typographic system becomes a signature—a recognizable expression of who you are.

The same applies to micro-interactions:

• a subtle nudge

• a delightful gesture

• a conversational hint

These are tiny moments that make the AI feel alive, creating emotional attachment. And emotional attachment is what turns tools into habits.

5. Contextual references and memory (shaping relationship and trust)

Most AI products today feel transactional:

• empty screens

• generic prompts

• no onboarding

• no sense of continuity

But human decision-making is relational. We trust tools that:

• anticipate needs

• remember us

• reduce effort

• show personality

• guide without overwhelming

Context transforms a chat interface from a tool into a companion—one that understands what we’re trying to achieve and helps us get there faster.

Great AI design builds familiarity.
Familiarity builds trust.
Trust builds retention.

This is where the next wave of AI winners will pull ahead.

AI doesn’t have to be confined to chat or activated by a click. The best way to connect with users might be to assist them effortlessly or surprise them with personality. How can we, as designers, impress users and make them feel understood by AI? I believe there’s still vast potential for designers to elevate AI products today—through thoughtful, strategic design that transcends functionality and creates memorable experiences.

Share my newsletter

Loving my content so far? I’d appreciate if you can share my newsletter to a friend 🙂