📰 3 DESIGN ARTICLES
- OpenAI announced the release of the newest addition to its AI offerings with Operator, an AI agent that can independently perform tasks for individuals on the web—by autonomously interacting with a site, Operator has the potential to order groceries, fill out forms, schedule appointments, and more.
- The new technology is still in the research preview phase: this means it is only available to some users, such as those with a pro account, and will be iterated on through user feedback, allowing for a slow rollout which OpenAI states will help ensure innovation, user trust, and safety.
- Of the tool, OpenAI shared, “The ability to use the same interfaces and tools that humans interact with on a daily basis broadens the utility of AI, helping people save time on everyday tasks while opening up new engagement opportunities for businesses.”
Designing for Generative AI Experiences at Adobe
- Veronica Peitong Chen, a Senior AI for UX designer at Adobe, delves into the challenges and strategies of designing user experiences for generative AI, highlighting the continued importance of centered user needs, especially when it comes to continued user autonomy and building product trust.
- Designers are encouraged to adapt and innovate with a strong emphasis on ethics while incorporating transparency, agency, and personalization into their design work— this way, designers can ensure that AI interfaces are both intuitive and trustworthy.
- “Designers not only have the power to shape the future of AI, they also have the responsibility to ensure that the technology isn’t just intelligent, but also approachable, useful, and aligns with human value.”
The Best Advice to Bring to Work in 2025
- Figma editor Jenny Xie picks the brains of industry leaders in design, asking them for their take on the best approaches to creative processes, team management, product development, and more.
- From finding inspiration in unconventional places to exploring how to make collaboration more effective and innovative, these tips showcase the ways leaders are bringing energy, efficiency, and empathy to their work.
- “Whether it’s juggling priorities, making tough trade-offs, or knowing when to pivot, there will always be challenges in the product development process. Keep these rules in your pocket for those days when you hit a roadblock and need a dose of inspiration to get unstuck.”
💜 PORTFOLIO INSPIRATION
Hanley Zheng, a UX Academy graduate, creates an end-to-end app for hobby food fermenters to more confidently track and execute their culinary projects. A clear understanding of user needs and pain points informs the project, and inviting UI helps bring it to life. With their responsive redesign for the climbing gym Adamanta, Zheng creates modern branding and a much more user-friendly interface, including a new optimization for mobile.
Got a portfolio you love that you’d like to share with our audience? Email your suggestions to hello@designlab.com.
💡 INTERESTING STUFF...
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- Instagram Announces Edits
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A good designer finds an elegant way to put everything you need on a page. A great designer convinces you half of it is unnecessary. — Mike Monteiro (co-founder of Mule Design)
🧪 FROM THE LAB
🚀 Courses Launching Soon
Advanced Figma (Launching 2/7): Become a more efficient and effective designer by mastering Figma’s complex functionalities in this 4-week course! Gain confidence working with auto layout, reusable components, design systems, and more. Be supported by an expert mentor, complete practical projects, and connect with your peers. Don’t miss your chance to join one of our best-selling and highest-rated courses!
AI for Visual Design (Launching 2/7): In this dynamic 4-week course, you’ll learn to harness the power of AI by diving into industry-leading tools. Better understand prompt crafting to get the result you truly want, create more complex visual concepts, take your work a step further with AI animation, and more. This course is ideal for designers, marketers, entrepreneurs, or anyone looking to become a more flexible and innovative creator.
UX Academy Foundations (Launching 2/10): Take the first step towards a new creative career with our flexible, fully online, and beginner-friendly course. You’ll learn visual and UI design skills, gain proficiency in Figma, start integrating AI into your workflow, and more. Be supported by an expert, 1:1 mentor and tap into our engaging student community, all at a low financial commitment. Complete Foundations and be fully ready to step into our career accelerator UX Academy!
🎤 Design Events and Workshops
Miss one of our recent design talks and workshops? Check out a few of our favorites below, and head over to our events archive for even more great talks.
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