AI (Artificial Intelligence) and UX (User Experience) are two indispensable tools for any business looking to maintain a competitive edge in today’s world. If AI and UX have independently revolutionized business processes, what could their combination achieve? It seems many businesses are already exploring this fertile ground by embracing the possibilities of a UX-AI integration. Combining the twin forces of AI and UX not only empowers businesses to build impactful products but also creates innovative user experiences. AI and UX, therefore, will only become increasingly essential in the foreseeable future as they continue to drive business processes. It is no surprise that online bootcamps on AI and UX are in high demand among business owners, working professionals, and job-ready students. A LinkedIn article accordingly argues that AI and UX are among the 5 most essential skills for a technology-driven world.
To enhance user experience, engineering platforms can deploy AI-driven techniques like machine learning and natural language processing. For instance, machine learning can develop algorithms based on user history to offer personalized recommendations based on AI-generated user personas. This improves user experience and directs design decisions. Similarly, natural language processing can elevate customer experience; chatbots and virtual assistants trained via this method more closely resemble humans. Consequently, customer’s conversations feel more organic and provide greater satisfaction. AI-techniques like natural language processing and machine learning can similarly perform more advanced function beside these basic enhancements.
Leveraging the Combined Forces of UX and AI
When seamlessly integrated, AI and UX may be seen as two sides of the same coin. AI generally works in the background by collecting data, predicting behavior, and automating tasks, while UX incorporates all that behind-the-scenes work into what is presented as the product. One may think of AI as the backstage and UI as the main stage; both have their tasks cut out but must work in sync to run a successful show. Their flawless coordination can lead to various promising possibilities for businesses to incorporate:
- Predictive Insights: Not only can AI streamline user experience on a day-to-day basis but also helps businesses anticipate future consumer needs and prepare accordingly. The best brands know what we want before we realize it ourselves. For instance, Amazon offers recommendation based on consumer behaviour using predictive analytics. Other businesses similarly use AI-enhanced user designs to drive purchases. It is foreseeable that UX bootcamps are likely to begin incorporating AI-based processes into their training modules.
- Data-driven User Experience: Businesses can enhance user experience manifold by using AI-driven techniques like machine-learning and natural language processing. AI-enabled recognition of patterns and its analysis of browsing habits can lead to an improved user experience. For example, Apple’s digital assistant Siri uses machine language processing to seamlessly interact with users and assist them. Similarly, Google Maps uses machine learning to build models to predict travel times, traffic delays, and best routes.
- Generative Design: To combat specific challenges in UX, AI can propose design solutions that may be adopted or adapted by UX engineers; this allows designers to overcome roadblocks and explore newer pastures.
- Conversational Interfaces: Perhaps the most readily identifiable examples of AI-UX collaboration in action are conversational interfaces. Chatbots, for instance, use AI to provide an interactive user experience, which handles user queries in real-time and provides immediate assistance.
Additionally, this collaboration provides several other avenues for creating intelligent platforms. These may range from personalization and accessibility improvements to user-testing. It is up to businesses to discover new ways this integration can further streamline user experience while allowing them to scale their operations.
The UX-AI Collaboration in ActionBusinesses are constantly on the lookout to discover unique ways in which AI-UX integration can help extend their reach, improve their services, and set them apart from the crowd. Furthermore, the possibilities are immense and vary depending on the industry and operating models. Here are some examples of how different brands have successfully used AI-UX integration to create innovative user experiences:
- Personalization and Pinterest: Personalization plays a major role in improving user experience, and Pinterest has leveraged AI-driven UX to shape its platform. In 2015, Pinterest acquired a machine-learning start-up called Kosei to drive user traffic via highly personalized recommendations. An article published by the customer data platform resource notes that 80% of customers are more likely to make purchases when they see personalized services.
- Interactive UX and Lenskart: An interactive UX automatically improves customer satisfaction and comfort. Lenskart, the online eyewear brand, uses AI-run virtual try-on tools for store-like convenience. By trying different frames using their device cameras, customers get to try as many frames as they want for assurance while purchasing. It is an innovative use of an AI-driven tool to enhance user experience.
- Tailored Design and Spotify: The music streaming service Spotify uses AI to provide a unique user interface, which ensures dynamic customer engagement. The ‘Discover Weekly’ feature uses AI to prepare a new playlist every week based on your listening habits. This generates anticipation among listeners while also allowing them to expand their playlists. Another feature called ‘audio aura’ creates a music-based color palette to reflect the listener’s mood. It is an excellent example of AI-based innovation in user experience.
Challenges in Incorporating UX and AI
Like all things, however, the AI-UX collaboration comes with its own set of limitations and challenges. Businesses seeking to reap the benefits of their combined operations must also be prepared to tackle these challenges and find innovative solutions. Here are some of the challenges that the joint operation of AI and UX presents:
- Ethical Considerations: Concerns regarding privacy and data security are often raised when considering the risks of using AI-based UX. The missing human factor, though advantageous in some respects, results in the absence of ethical considerations. Consequently, businesses must ensure a transparent use of AI in their UX designs.
- Incorporating Emotional Intelligence: Similarly, while AI-UX integration is highly efficient in performing result-based tasks, its processes must be vetted by human agents for emotionally sensitive content. This is important to maintain customers’ trust and create designs that connect with users and understand human behavior.
- Judging Intent and Context: While AI-driven UX generally enhances user experience, in some cases it may not understand the conversational context or user intent optimally. This may, occasionally, lead to misinterpretation and compromise on user experience.
Businesses must find innovative solutions to these roadblocks. Oftentimes, the answer lies in utilizing AI-UX collaboration with a human touch. Human agents can provide the missing blocks through contextual understanding and emotional intelligence. This underscores the relevance of human agents, albeit in an evolved role, in automation-driven processes. A Harvard Business Review article, similarly, argues that Human and AI intelligence must augment one another.
How to Grow Your Business by Combining AI and UX DesignWhen it comes to growing your business, it is helpful to understand the fundamentals of AI and UX. With the basics covered, it all boils down to finding innovative ways to combine the two and focusing on what brings the maximum benefit to you and your customers. However, here are some fundamentals to follow:
- Retain the Human Aspect: Since AI might struggle with gauging context and intent, it is vital to ensure human supervision. Human agents must routinely check and review the operations of your AI-UX integration, maintaining ethical standards and refining automation processes via routine feedback.
- Stay Updated on New Developments: Both UX and AI are rapidly growing fields with new information emerging every day. It is, therefore, crucial to stay abreast of the latest developments. This ensures that you provide the best that can be offered to your users.
- Prioritizing Personalization: According to the Harvard Business Review, over 100 leading brands witnessed revenue growth of 6-10% over a 5-year period due to personalization efforts. Personalized customer experience has become increasingly valued in the digital era and provides a competitive advantage over the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. With AI-assisted real-time personalization, brands can keep up with customer demands at every step.
It is safe to say that AI-driven UX is the future of innovative user experience. The field is as dynamic as it is exciting, which requires us to stay confident with our fundamentals and exploratory with new developments. Anticipating this growth, UX bootcamps with a focus on AI-driven design are in high demand across industries. AI-UX integration is the new frontier, and it certainly carries great promise in all that it has to offer businesses and their users.
Author Bio:
Anjani Vigha is a technical as well as creative content writer at Thinkful, a Chegg service. She is an outgoing person, and you will find her near books, arts and explore the miraculous world of technology. Connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter.