AI and Design

Dan Saffer and Nik Martelaro
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Two Carnegie Mellon faculty explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the world of design. Each week, we'll break down the latest AI developments, dive deep into AI topics that matter to designers, and talk with fascinating guests who are right at the intersection of these fields. All views expressed are our own and not reflective of Carnegie Mellon or the Human-Computer Interaction Institute.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Deep Dive: The Future of Design Practice and Process (with author Mike Kuniavsky)

    Dan, Nik, and special guest Mike Kuniavsky ("Observing the User Experience") do a deep dive into the impact of AI on the traditional design practice and process. They get into the disappearing/evolving role of design artifacts, the influence of AI on design literacy, and the reevaluation of the design process in the age of AI. AI has triggered the democratization of design tools, a shift in organizational power dynamics, and ofttimes the complete disregard for of unknown unknowns. They also explore the changing product risk surface, the redefinition of scale in design practice, and the role of synthetic users in user-centered design. LINKS: Mike's article "Design practice assumes a world that no longer exists: what’s next?" https://medium.com/@mikekuniavsky/design-practice-assumes-a-world-that-no-longer-exists-whats-next-ca3f588ad4d8 Other recent articles on Design Process: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/design-process-isnt-dead/ https://www.nngroup.com/articles/design-process-isnt-dead/ https://medium.com/@kristian.bjornhaug/the-design-process-isnt-dead-but-ai-is-changing-where-design-happens-220dce1b3acd https://medium.com/design-bootcamp/the-new-design-process-2-6-2b5967507263 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/design-process-isnt-dead-its-only-thing-save-us-rick-starbuck-7pbmc/ “Cognitive surrender” leads AI users to abandon logical thinking, research finds https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/04/research-finds-ai-users-scarily-willing-to-surrender-their-cognition-to-llms/

    54 min

  2. 31 MAR

    Claude Computer Use, Product Intuition, Author Chris Noessel ("Designing Assistant Technology")

    Dan and Nik talk about Anthropic's latest announcement about computer use and its impact on how designers design screens. Then they discuss the article "AI didn't kill product intuition. It exposed who never had it." Author Chris Noessel stops by to talk about his new book Designing Assistant Technology and the challenges and considerations in designing AI to assist users. The conversation touches on the risks of descaling and over-reliance, and cthe importance of keeping cognitive engagement in AI design. https://amzn.to/414zOta https://www.productparty.us/p/ai-didnt-kill-product-intuition-it

    42 min

  3. 25 MAR

    Google Stitch, 2026 Design in Tech Report, Downloadable Design Skills

    Dan and Nik offer opinions on Google Stitch, a new design tool that just dropped from Google Labs. They also dig deep into John Maeda's 2026 Design in Tech report, debating his key insights for designers in the evolving landscape of AI and design. Lastly, a discussion on the codification, sharing and future of downloadable design skills. Google Stitch: https://stitch.withgoogle.com/ Design in Tech 2026: https://designintech.report/ MC Dean's Skills: https://substack.com/@marieclairedean/p-190232071 and https://substack.com/@marieclairedean/p-190956350

    52 min

  4. 17 MAR

    AI Image Editors, Institutional v Individual AI, Author Louise MacFadyen ("Designing AI Interfaces")

    Nik and Dan talk about new AI image editing tools from Canva and Adobe and the value of baking AI right into existing tools. The conversation switches to a provocative new essay by George Sivulka on the importance of Institutional AI and not just Individual AI, which can be chaotic if it's not coordinated. https://x.com/gsivulka/status/2031797989908627849 Lastly, Dan interviews Louise Macfadyn, author of the upcoming book Designing AI Interfaces. https://amzn.to/4lAf9qi

    54 min

  5. 10 MAR

    Very Special Hot Takes Episode: Product Sense, AI Brain Fry, Real Time UI and much much more

    There was just too many interesting stories this week, so Nik and Dan do a Very Special Hot Takes episode with a wide-ranging conversation that covers 14 topics, including the importance of product sense, open source tools, the cultivation of design judgment, the urgency of AI regulation, the future of AI images, the impact of AI on design jobs, real-time UI, writing specs for AI agents, and breaking the echo chamber in interfaces. Chapters 01:05 AI Brain Fry 02:47 The Importance of Product Sense 05:40 Collaborative Editing in AI-Generated Images 07:52 The Model is The Machine 12:06 User Experience and Proprietary Data in AI Products16:06 Sacred Values in AI 19:50 OpenPencil 22:46 Training Design Judgment 26:57 The Critical Need for AI Regulation 30:01 The Future of AI Image Generation 31:50 Sorting Designers 35:38 Real-Time UI 41:58 Writing Effective Specs for AI Agents 45:28 Breaking the Echo Chamber in Interfaces

    51 min

  6. 3 MAR

    Jenny Wen's Three Types of AI Designers, Designers Should Be Crushing It, Managing AI Pressure

    Dan and Nik delve into the evolving role of designers in the age of AI, emphasizing the need for adaptability, control of your own process, and how vision and judgement are design's superpowers. This episode explores the impact of AI on the design process, the importance of maintaining focus on the work, and the challenges of keeping up with the rapid pace of change in the industry.

    40 min

  7. 24 FEB

    Code and Canvas, Computer Use Agents, The Mythical Agent-Month, Will "Taste" Save Designers?

    Nik and Dan talk about another announcement from Figma and Anthropic and the impact on the future of design tools. They examine a new research paper from Apple and the HCII on how to best design computer use agents, and talk about Wes McKinney's article The Mythical Agent-Month. They end with discussing the role of taste in an AI world and if it is the skill designers should be focusing on.

    42 min

  8. 18 FEB

    State of The Designer 2026, User Control of AI, Waiting is the New Interruption, AI Intensifies Work

    Dan and Nik delve into the Figma's 2026 State of the Designer Report, people feeling like AI is being shoved at them, the challenges related to AI's impact on flow and attention, and the Harvard Business Report's implications of AI on job satisfaction and work intensification.

    34 min
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About

Two Carnegie Mellon faculty explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the world of design. Each week, we'll break down the latest AI developments, dive deep into AI topics that matter to designers, and talk with fascinating guests who are right at the intersection of these fields. All views expressed are our own and not reflective of Carnegie Mellon or the Human-Computer Interaction Institute.

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  • Creator
    Dan Saffer and Nik Martelaro
  • Years Active
    2k
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Dan Saffer and Nik Martelaro
  • Show Website
    AI and Design

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