In the enthusiasm of AI’s popular launch of 2023, like many others before, with or after me, I indulged some free time in testing my luck with new textual prompts to create graphical devices with AI- say logos and images.
One fast and furious example is the image above. The summery prompt given to the ChatGPT (DALL-E) machine of the time was.:
‘A logo for a website dedicated to coaching UX designers with AI assistants, capturing the blend of technology and creativity in a sleek and modern design that represents innovation and expertise in the field.’
Simple prompt given to DALL-E 2023 (OpenAI ChatGPT 3.5 version)
I still wonder today about what it is I did?
Or for that matter what AI did?
In other words: Who was assisting whom if a tool or machine can be reduced to a human-like symbolic companionship?
In the wake of AI’s explosive launch in 2023, many, including myself, have eagerly experimented with new prompts to create graphical devices with AI—logos, images, and more. One such creation is the image above, born from a prompt to ChatGPT (DALL-E) that sought to blend technology and creativity into a logo for a website dedicated to coaching UX designers with AI assistants.
Yet, as I reflect on this process, I find myself pondering the nature of assistance and creativity. Who is assisting whom when a machine can embody a symbol so human-like?
Designers, or creatives as we might collectively call ourselves, often draw inspiration or guidance from our knowledgeable peers—be they designers, engineers, scientists, or artists. This need for creative guidance has become so ingrained that we now deem it ‘generative,’ as if passing the baton to any guide to generate creative output.
The lowest hanging fruit of creativity
The question of what constitutes creativity remains. I recently delved into an article by Jakob Nielsen, a figure I greatly admire in the field of UX design and research. In his piece, he reflects on the concept of AI companions, which he considers the pinnacle of anthropomorphizing AI—endowing computers with personalities that can range from friends and mentors to coaches and even romantic partners.
According to Nielsen, Justine Moore from Andreessen Horowitz, a leading venture capital firm, has observed the burgeoning AI companion space, noting its expansion across a diverse array of applications. She has highlighted a comprehensive list of startups venturing into various facets of this evolving landscape.
Compare Web and Mobile Gen AI products (2023)
As we stand in 2024, it’s clear that AI companions are not just a fleeting trend but a growing sector with tangible impacts on user experience and design. Don Norman, a pioneer in human-computer interaction, has also noted this shift. Known for his seminal work with companies like Apple and HP, Norman’s insights into AI companions reflect new achievements in the field he helped define.
The AI companions of today are more than just tools; they are partners in the creative process, challenging our notions of creativity and collaboration. As we continue to explore this partnership between human and machine, we must also consider the ethical implications and strive to maintain a balance that respects both the art of design and the science of technology.
UX Roundup: Pilot Testing | AI Companions | Dark Design Patterns: An Australian Warning | Usability Testing Templates | No-Registration ChatGPT Jakob Nielsen
Continue reading on Jakob Nielsen’s Substack
Designers worldwide from which species I like to think I belong, often tend to get inspired or just lend some – or any – form of guidance of thought from others they are knowledgeable of: designers, engineers, scientists, artists, etc.
Shy of better term, in one word: creatives.
We seem to consistently be in need of this source of creative guidance – for the better or the worse.
So much so we now call this generative. As if we accepted the final relay to the – any – guide to generate a creative output.
But who’s is to say it is creative?
I recently came across an article by Jacob Nielsen, a figure I greatly admire in the field of UX design and research.
In his piece, he is referring to his previous article AI companions are killer app for AI, considering they are the high-end of the spectrum of anthropomorphizing AI.
[…] ‘Artificial Intelligence is infusing computers with personalities and opening up a myriad of possibilities ranging from friendship and mentorship to coaching and even romance.
Apr 5, 2024.
Justine Moore from the leading venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (often referred to as A16Z) posted a thread of observations to X, noting how the AI companion space continues to grow and now spans a broad spectrum of applications.
She also provided an extensive list of startup companies working on different aspects of this vision.’
UX Roundup: Pilot Testing | AI Companions | Dark Design Patterns: An Australian Warning | Usability Testing Templates | No-Registration ChatGPT
Jakob Nielsen
Don Norman, a co-founder of UX and a key figure in human-computer interaction and usability consulting. Don Norman, who is known for his work with Apple, HP, and the Nielsen Norman Group, is often credited as the father of UX and is the individual who first coined the term ‘user experience’.
In one of Nielsen’s latest UX Roundup articles from April 5th, 2024, there appears to be a distinct shift in his perspective regarding human-AI machine companions, new achievments.
