
#139 Big AI Updates 2026
15/1/2026 | 22 min
FREE: AI Project ChallengeSign up for the free AI Project Challenge Keeping up with AI updates has basically become a full-time job.New models, new tools, new workflows — every week something changes, and most of us don’t have the time to read every release note, test every feature, or scroll through endless feeds.So I did that for you.In this episode, I break down five major AI updates from the last quarter that designers should actually know about right now.Not as headlines, but as real insights: what changed, why it matters, and how this shows up in design and product work.We’ll talk about:how Claude is evolving into a real AI co-worker with agent-style workflows and Claude Codewhy OpenAI Health is an important signal for high-stakes AI product designwhat’s happening at Google with Gemini, generative UI, multimodal AI, and vibe codinghow ChatGPT Apps turn AI into a workflow layer across tools like Figma and Slackand what CES tells us about the future of AI beyond screens, from devices to ambient experiencesThis episode is a curated deep dive for designers who want to stay informed without drowning in updates — with concrete examples, UX implications, and clear takeaways.At the beginning of the episode, I also share details about my free AI Challenge, starting next week, where you’ll build your first AI project brief step by step and get hands-on experience with AI.If you work in design, UX, or product and want to understand where AI is actually heading — this episode is for you.AI for Designers: 5-week Bootcamp 💻 Open Jan 26' 2026→ Sign up for the waiting listResources mentioned:Official ChatGPT Health announcement (OpenAI) — detailed overview of the new health-focused feature, privacy protections, and how it works:🔗 https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-health/Official OpenAI for Healthcare page — the enterprise suite designed to help healthcare organizations use AI in clinical settings:🔗 https://openai.com/index/openai-for-healthcare/Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image) — Google’s official page about advanced image generation with Gemini’s Nano Banana Pro model:🔗 https://deepmind.google/models/gemini-image/pro/CES 2026 Google TV Gemini & Nano Banana coverage — news coverage of Gemini features including Nano Banana and interactive AI on Google TV:🔗 https://www.gadgets360.com/ai/news/ces-2026-gemini-for-google-tv-nano-banana-veo-ai-conversational-settings-optimisation-features-10385311👉 0€ AI mini Training for Designers 👈→ Learn 3 strategies to leverage gen AI as a designer in just 30 min💌 Newsletter → Free Weekly UX insights and updates: UX NewsletterFollow the Future of UX:🎨 Linkedin: Future of UX Podcast📸 Instagram: Future of UX Podcast🍏 Apple Podcast: Future of UX💚 Spotify: Future of UXFind Patricia on Socials📸 Instagram @ux.patricia🎨 Linkedin Patricia Reiners🐦 Twitter @ux_Patricia📝 My UX Design Blog 🎥 Youtube

#138 Big UX Trends 2026: The Shifts Designers Can’t Ignore
08/1/2026 | 38 min
2026 is not just another trend year for UX.It’s a transition phase.⚡️ Trend report Get access to the trend report (40min video)In this episode, I’m sharing my UX Trends 2026 and why this moment matters more than the last ten years combined.AI is no longer just a feature we add to products.It’s becoming the interaction itself.At the same time:interfaces are dissolvingresearch is accelerating at machine speedroles and career paths are shiftingand designers are facing new tensions around agency, personalization, and privacyIt’s about making sense of the signals we’re seeing right now – based on real project work, conversations with teams and leaders, and patterns emerging across the industry.This is an exciting, challenging, and important year for UX.I hope this episode helps you navigate it with a bit more clarity.In this episode, we talk about:Generative UI and why UX is shifting from screens to intentNo-UI moments and what it means when UX disappearsAI-powered research and why designers become orchestrators of insightDesigning AI products that users can actually trustAgentic AI and the rise of human–agent ecosystemsVibe coding and why execution is no longer the bottleneckThe growing tension between personalization and privacyWhy UX roles are shifting from execution to agencyThis episode is also connected to a free UX Trends 2026 report, where I walk through all trends in a more visual way, with concrete examples and products.👉 You can sign up for the free report via the link in the show notes.And if you want to go deeper into AI and UX this year:AI for Designers starts its next round at the end of January. You can currently join the waitlist and get access to an early-bird discount when registration opens.AI for Designers: 5-week Bootcamp 💻 Open Jan 26' 2026→ Sign up for the waiting list👉 0€ AI mini Training for Designers 👈→ Learn 3 strategies to leverage gen AI as a designer in just 30 min💌 Newsletter → Free Weekly UX insights and updates: UX NewsletterFollow the Future of UX:🎨 Linkedin: Future of UX Podcast📸 Instagram: Future of UX Podcast🍏 Apple Podcast: Future of UX💚 Spotify: Future of UXFind Patricia on Socials📸 Instagram @ux.patricia🎨 Linkedin Patricia Reiners🐦 Twitter @ux_Patricia📝 My UX Design Blog 🎥 Youtube

#137 Generative UI: Lessons from Google Labs Disco
18/12/2025 | 19 min
Generative UI is quietly changing how digital products work — and Google Labs’ experimental browser Disco is a perfect example of that shift.Not what buttons look like.But how interfaces are created in the first place.In this episode of Future of UX, I explore what happens when interfaces are no longer fixed screens, but generated on the fly based on user intent, context, and goals.Using Disco and its GenTabs feature as a lens, we talk about:why browsing is shifting from search-first to goal-firsthow UI becomes a temporary, situational response rather than a static artifactand why trust, transparency, and responsibility become core UX challenges in generative systemsThis is not a tool review or a hype episode.It’s a UX-first perspective on what Generative UI signals for designers, product teams, and anyone shaping digital experiences.If you work in UX, product, or design strategy, this episode will help you understand what’s actually changing and why it matters.Become part of the conversation:Please share your thoughts here: Users casually creating their own apps now? Learn more about disco: hereJakob Nielsen's newsletter: hereAI for Designers: 5-week Bootcamp 💻 Open Jan 26' 2026→ Sign up for the waiting list👉 0€ AI mini Training for Designers 👈→ Learn 3 strategies to leverage gen AI as a designer in just 30 min💌 Newsletter → Free Weekly UX insights and updates: UX NewsletterFollow the Future of UX:🎨 Linkedin: Future of UX Podcast📸 Instagram: Future of UX Podcast🍏 Apple Podcast: Future of UX💚 Spotify: Future of UXFind Patricia on Socials📸 Instagram @ux.patricia🎨 Linkedin Patricia Reiners🐦 Twitter @ux_Patricia📝 My UX Design Blog 🎥 Youtube

#136 The Big Shifts in UX, AI & Tech 2025
11/12/2025 | 34 min
In this episode of Future of UX, Patricia breaks down the most important tech and AI shifts of 2025 — the trends that fundamentally changed how we design, build, research, and work. If you missed anything this year or simply want the essential takeaways, this episode is your shortcut.From AI Agents and deepfake-proof UX to vibe-coding, AI-native browsers, research automation, and the rise of general-purpose robots — here are the big transformations shaping the future of design.Why 2025 was the year AI Agents became real — not as chatbots, but as autonomous coworkers running full workflows.• How MCP unlocked the agent ecosystem• Vibe coding and intent-driven development• The shift from execution to oversight in human rolesVisual trust collapsed — and UX became responsible for rebuilding it.• Why humans can’t detect deepfakes anymore• What actually worked: C2PA, identity checks, and UI “micro-literacy”• Designing interfaces that communicate authenticity and uncertaintyHow tools like Lovable, Replit, and AI builders changed who gets to create.• From pixel pushing to strategic direction• Conversational creation flows• What this means for designers and innovatorsAI automated more than ever — but made human oversight more important.• Where full autonomy worked• Where humans stayed essential• Why the future depends on intentional human-in-the-loop designResearch and analysis were transformed by automated synthesis.• Superagency: managing research instead of doing it manually• The new trust problem in fast research• Data provenance, model transparency, and expert validationBrowsers became intelligence layers instead of navigation tools.• Context-aware, predictive UX• Browsers that act, not just display• How this changes product and interaction designWhy general-purpose robots finally left the lab in 2025.• Embodied AI• Real-world perception• Language-driven task executionAI for Designers: 5-week Bootcamp 💻 Open Jan 2026→ Sign up for the waiting list👉 0€ AI mini Training for Designers 👈→ Learn 3 strategies to leverage gen AI as a designer in just 30 min💌 Newsletter → Free Weekly UX insights and updates: UX NewsletterFollow the Future of UX:🎨 Linkedin: Future of UX Podcast📸 Instagram: Future of UX Podcast🍏 Apple Podcast: Future of UX💚 Spotify: Future of UXFind Patricia on Socials📸 Instagram @ux.patricia🎨 Linkedin Patricia Reiners🐦 Twitter @ux_Patricia📝 My UX Design Blog 🎥 Youtube

#135 People, Agents & Robots: How Work Is Changing for UX Designers
04/12/2025 | 21 min
In this episode, we explore one of the biggest shifts happening in the world of work right now: the rise of people–agent–robot partnerships.I break down insights from McKinsey’s new report Agents, Robots, and Us and explain what this means for UX designers, product teams, and anyone working in digital experiences.We talk about:• how work is changing toward human + AI + robot collaboration• why most skills won’t disappear, but evolve• why AI fluency is becoming essential for designers• the seven new job archetypes shaping future workflows• real examples of people–agent–robot systems• and why UX will play a central role in orchestrating these experiencesIf you're curious about how to work with AI in a practical, meaningful way, this episode gives you a simple and friendly overview of what’s coming next.Mentioned:• McKinsey’s Agents, Robots, and Us report• Neo robot👉 Please your thoughts here:Linkedin: Your next user might not be human: Designing for agents & robotsAI for Designers: 5-week Bootcamp 💻 Open Jan 2026→ Sign up for the waiting list👉 0€ AI mini Training for Designers 👈→ Learn 3 strategies to leverage gen AI as a designer in just 30 min💌 Newsletter → Free Weekly UX insights and updates: UX NewsletterFollow the Future of UX:🎨 Linkedin: Future of UX Podcast📸 Instagram: Future of UX Podcast🍏 Apple Podcast: Future of UX💚 Spotify: Future of UXFind Patricia on Socials📸 Instagram @ux.patricia🎨 Linkedin Patricia Reiners🐦 Twitter @ux_Patricia📝 My UX Design Blog 🎥 Youtube



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