{"id":32618,"date":"2025-11-26T11:03:05","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T10:03:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sii.pl\/blog\/?p=32618"},"modified":"2025-11-26T11:03:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T10:03:08","slug":"ai-first-in-ux-buzzword-or-a-new-paradigm-in-designing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sii.pl\/blog\/en\/ai-first-in-ux-buzzword-or-a-new-paradigm-in-designing\/","title":{"rendered":"AI-first in UX: buzzword or a new paradigm in designing?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The dynamic development of artificial intelligence is making the term “AI-first” increasingly common. For some, it represents another breakthrough comparable to the mobile-first transformation from a decade ago \u2013 or even a greater revolution in how user experiences are created. On the other hand, the concept of AI-first is often overused and risks becoming an empty slogan if it does not lead to a genuine shift in thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, you will learn what the AI-first approach looks like from the perspective of a UX designer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short story about AI-first<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The expression “AI-first” usually appears in a broader context \u2013 as part of a holistic approach to building products, services, and shaping company growth strategies<\/strong>. Technology leaders began to communicate an AI-oriented strategy after 2010. That marked the beginning of what is now referred to as the AI boom. In 2011, Apple introduced Siri. Around 2013, Facebook started investing in AI labs. In 2014, Amazon launched Alexa (a fun fact: it was based on algorithms from the Polish company Ivona, which Amazon had acquired a year earlier).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term “AI-first” first appeared almost a decade ago. In April 2016, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai announced (during Alphabet’s earnings conference) that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

In the long run, we are evolving from a mobile-first world to an AI-first world.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

It was a signal of a shift (or rather an expansion) in how services were designed: moving from a focus on mobile devices to prioritizing the use of AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That same year, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff also used the term, describing the coming era as an “AI-first world.” Shortly after, Salesforce announced the launch of its AI-powered platform, Einstein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI present<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Interest in AI skyrocketed after OpenAI released ChatGPT in November 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Fig.
Fig. 1 Rapid increase in Google searches for the term “AI” (source: Wikipedia<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The app gained one million users in just 5 days. The success of ChatGPT accelerated competitors’ work, and today the market features many LLMs that are still being improved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In March this year, Amazon presented Alexa+ powered by generative AI (currently available only in the U.S.). OpenAI is working on a series of its own devices, which, according to announcements, are expected to revolutionize the way we think about interfaces, much like the launch of the iPhone once permanently changed the face of mobile phones. Will it happen? Time will tell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless, the AI solutions market reached a value of $279.22 billion in 2024, up from $136.55 billion in 2022 (according to Grand View Research<\/a>). Considering current forecasts, this trend is unlikely to slow down anytime soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Artificial
Fig. 2 Artificial Intelligence Market 2018-2030 (source: Grand View Research<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

AI for UX designers<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What does all this mean for designers? According to the “State of AI in design 2025<\/a>” report, 89% of designers say that AI has improved their design process over the past year. We’ve gained many new tools and features that support both research (Jak AI mo\u017ce usprawni\u0107 badania UX?<\/a>) and design work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are they perfect? Not at all. In fact, far from it. However, they are more than enough to create a quick sketch, diagram, flow, summarize research, and so on. We are still not at the stage of “I feed everything into AI and get a finished design”; UX designers and researchers still play (and will continue to play) a central role in the design process, but many tasks can now be accelerated, streamlined, or automated (e.g., AI in Figma).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New paradigm?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“AI-first” design refers to an approach in which artificial intelligence is treated as the foundation for a product or service from the very beginning, from the concept stage. It changes the way we think about user experience, making it more dynamic, personalized, and adaptive, therefore less predictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jakob Nielsen even notes that AI introduces the first new interaction model in 60 years, referring to it as the third paradigm in the history of human-computer interaction<\/strong>. It’s the Intent-Based Outcome Specification, which replaces the current Command-Based Interaction Design model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"User-interface
Fig. 3 User-interface paradigms of computing (source: Nielsen Norman Group<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The current interaction model is based on a sequence of commands issued by the user, which the computer executes to achieve the desired outcome. In the new approach<\/strong> described by Nielsen, the user tells the computer what they want to achieve, and AI decides which steps to take to reach that goal.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this approach, the user experience will largely depend on the decisions made at the very beginning of the design process; for example, the data used to train the model will be crucial, as the outcome received by the user will depend on it. That is why UX experts need to be involved in AI-first product development from the earliest stages of development.<\/strong> They should have a say in which data is used, as their role is to identify how that data can meet users’ needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI-first or AI-as-a-feature?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

AI-first applications are built from the ground up around AI engines. Is this a common approach? Not yet. More often, we encounter existing applications that are usually quite complex, perform their functions well, and replacing them with something new would involve high costs and risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, UX designers are still more likely to work with AI-as-a-feature models than with AI-first ones. That said, to paraphrase a specific advertising slogan, the approach of “Everyone has AI, so I should too” doesn’t always make sense. New features should address real user problems or needs, which don’t always require AI.<\/strong> Suppose we decide to implement AI as a feature. In that case, it should provide genuine value to the user, either by solving a pain point or offering a new functionality that helps them achieve their goal more efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The AI-first approach compels designers to rethink their approach to human-system interaction, as it positions artificial intelligence at the center of product design. This involves developing new principles that focus on specific aspects of the user experience, regardless of the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Characteristics of the AI-first approach<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some of the most important characteristics that can be highlighted include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n