Osman Gunes Cizmeci on AI’s Impact on the Future of UI/UX Design

The landscape of user experience design is undergoing a profound transformation. As artificial intelligence reshapes how digital products are created and experienced, UX professionals find themselves at a crossroads: adapt to this new reality or risk obsolescence. Nielsen Norman Group’s recent analysis paints a sobering picture of the industry’s challenges—and potential paths forward.

Beyond the AI Hype Cycle

2024 represented a reality check for both AI enthusiasts and doomsayers. The industry has begun settling into a more realistic post-hype perspective, with UX professionals reporting varied experiences: 47% found AI tools provided “some value,” while 20% were “not impressed.”

“We’re finally moving past the initial AI honeymoon phase,” says Osman Gunes Cizmeci, a New York-based UX/UI designer who hosts the podcast ‘Design Is In the Details.’ “The real work begins now that we’ve stopped adding AI features simply because we can. I’m seeing designers ask more substantial questions: How does this AI implementation solve a real human problem? What unique value does it bring to the experience?”

This shift toward practicality mirrors broader industry trends. The field is developing a clearer understanding of generative AI’s strengths and limitations, particularly its ongoing challenges with factual accuracy, attention to detail, privacy concerns, security vulnerabilities, reliability issues, bias, and intellectual property violations.

From Tools to Thoughtful Integration

As we progress through 2025, we’re seeing increasingly sophisticated AI integrations in UX tools. Design and research platforms like Figma and Dovetail now feature AI capabilities that genuinely accelerate and improve work in reliable, responsible ways.

“What’s interesting isn’t that these tools exist—it’s how they’re changing our workflow,” Osman explains. “I’m spending less time on repetitive tasks and more time on strategic thinking. The tools aren’t replacing my expertise; they’re enhancing it. When I use AI to generate initial wireframes or analyze preliminary user data, I’m still the one making critical decisions about what works and what doesn’t.”

This evolution represents a fundamental shift in how UX professionals must approach their craft. Rather than rushing to integrate AI for its own sake, teams are deliberately considering how AI addresses specific user and organizational needs.

The Value of Deep UX in an AI World

As automation handles increasingly complex aspects of design and research, the differentiators for UX professionals will be uniquely human abilities: critical thinking, creativity, and taste—the capacity to discern and curate a series of outputs and decisions. While automation handles routine tasks, those who excel at high-level thinking and decision-making that machines can’t replicate will survive what Nielsen Norman Group calls the “UX reckoning.”

“The fundamentals of good user experience haven’t changed,” Osman notes. “Understanding human psychology, solving real problems, creating intuitive flows—AI tools don’t replace these skills. If anything, they make them more valuable. When everyone has access to the same AI tools, your unique perspective becomes your competitive advantage.”

Moving Beyond Templates

One of the most concerning trends in UX has been the proliferation of templates and shortcuts—a problem that AI threatens to accelerate. Templates and tools can be helpful starting points, but they can’t substitute for thoughtful reflection or a unique point of view. If you’re spending more time downloading frameworks than deeply understanding user needs, it’s time to recalibrate.

“I see too many designers optimizing for efficiency at the expense of effectiveness,” Osman says. “Using AI to generate ten mediocre design solutions in minutes isn’t progress if none of them solve the underlying problem. The best designers I know use AI to handle the tedium so they can focus on the truly human aspects of design: empathy, context, and creative problem-solving.”

This emphasis on deeper thinking reflects Nielsen Norman Group’s assessment that UX is inherently messy and can’t be neatly categorized or approached identically each time.

The Expanding UX Skillset

As AI transforms the industry, successful UX professionals will need to evolve their skillsets. While certain principles will remain constant, the tangible outputs of UX work will evolve significantly as AI advances. The industry has been overly focused on outputs—the tangible artifacts we create—rather than the deeper purpose driving them (outcomes).

“My background in industrial design taught me something valuable,” Osman reflects. “The medium changes, but the principles endure. Whether I’m designing a physical object or a digital interface—or now, training an AI system to generate interfaces—I’m still solving human problems. The tools are just an extension of my thinking.”

For many in the field, this transition requires embracing a more fluid professional identity. As boundaries between UX and other disciplines blur, knowledge in adjacent fields like systems thinking, data modeling, business strategy, or product management will become increasingly valuable. This broader understanding prepares designers for emerging roles that combine multiple disciplines.

The Human Advantage

Perhaps the most promising development for UX professionals willing to adapt is the increasing value of soft skills. The ability to build relationships, communicate effectively, facilitate groups, and navigate complex organizational dynamics will be as valuable as technical skills, if not more so.

“AI can generate a wireframe in seconds, but it can’t sit in a room with stakeholders and negotiate competing priorities,” Osman says. “It can’t read the subtle emotional cues when a user is struggling with a prototype but trying to be polite. These uniquely human abilities are where our value will increasingly lie.”

Preparing for Tomorrow

For UX professionals navigating this changing landscape, the path forward requires balance: embracing AI tools while deepening human expertise; learning technical skills while developing emotional intelligence; mastering design systems while retaining creative instincts.

“I’m excited about what’s coming,” Osman concludes. “AI is forcing us to articulate what makes human designers valuable. It’s pushing us past surface-level design into deeper territory. The designers who thrive won’t be those who fight against AI or uncritically embrace it—they’ll be the ones who leverage it thoughtfully while doubling down on what makes them uniquely human.”

As we move further into 2025 and beyond, this human-centered approach to an increasingly automated discipline may well define the next evolution of user experience design—less focused on pixels and patterns, more centered on purpose and people.