#130 Halloween Special: UX AI Horror Stories and What UX Designers Should Actually Be Worried About
In this Halloween special of Future of UX, we explore the disturbing side of digital design where clever UX crosses into manipulation, AI tools launch without proper oversight, and personalization quietly erodes user autonomy.From real-life cases involving Snapchat’s rogue chatbot to Amazon’s subscription “traps” and a tragic AI-assisted suicide, this episode dives into the UX decisions and AI deployments that turned dark and what designers need to learn from them.These themes were at the core of powerful conversations in the most recent AI for Designers cohort, which just wrapped last week. If you’re interested in digging deeper into ethical design, human-centered AI, and how to design with integrity — the next cohort starts in January 2026.Whether you're a UX designer, strategist, or just curious about the future of ethical tech: this is the episode you shouldn’t skip.In this episode, we cover:Why dark patterns still dominate — and why they may soon become illegalWhat happens when AI tools roll out too fast (with no safety net)The emotional toll of designing features you don’t believe inHow personalization is creating echo chambers and limiting human curiosityWhy “seamless” UX might be the most dangerous design trend of allActionable advice for spotting (and stopping) unethical product decisions🔗 Sources & Real-World Cases Referenced in the Episode:FTC sues Amazon for dark patterns in Prime sign-up and cancelation (FTC, June 2023)Hilton agrees to disclose hidden resort fees after state AG probe (Nebraska Attorney General, Jan 2024)Snapchat’s My AI chatbot gave inappropriate advice to a 13-year-old (Washington Post, March 2023)UnitedHealth sued for using AI with 90% error rate to deny care (Reuters, Nov 2023)Belgian man dies by suicide after conversations with AI chatbot (Euronews, March 2023)TikTok’s algorithm creates extremist echo chambers in hours (The Guardian, July 2024)Meta’s Galactica AI shut down after 3 days due to misinformation (VentureBeat, Nov 2022)33 U.S. states sue Meta over youth mental health harms (Reuters, Oct 2023)EU Digital Services Act bans dark patterns across digital platforms (Schönherr EU Law, Feb 2025)California CPRA makes dark patterns illegal in data privacy contexts (AdExchanger, Aug 2022)👉 0€ AI mini Training for Designers 👈→ Learn 3 strategies to leverage gen AI as a designer in just 30 minAI for Designers: 5-week Bootcamp 💻 Open Jan 2026→ Sign up for the waiting list💌 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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#129 OpenAI Atlas vs. Comet vs. Dia: AI Browsers and the Future of UX –
In this episode of Future of UX, we dive into the next big shift: web browsers that don’t just open websites — they understand, summarise, act. We cover the newly launched ChatGPT Atlas (by OpenAI), and compare it with the bold efforts of Comet (by Perplexity AI) and Dia (by The Browser Company). We break down what each offers, where the UX opportunities and risks are, and what this means for us as UX designers in a world where the browser becomes an assistant, not just a tool. We’ll talk conversational interfaces, agentic workflows, trust and privacy, and how your design approach needs to evolve.Links you’ll want to check out:ChatGPT Atlas (by OpenAI): https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-atlas/ Alternative mirror: https://chatgpt.com/atlas/ ChatGPTComet (by Perplexity AI): https://www.perplexity.ai/comet/ Blog intro: https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/introducing-comet Dia (by The Browser Company): https://www.diabrowser.com/ Dia BrowserBeta-launch coverage: https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/11/the-browser-company-launches-ai-first-browser-dia-in-beta/👉 0€ AI mini Training for Designers 👈→ Learn 3 strategies to leverage gen AI as a designer in just 30 minAI for Designers: 5-week Bootcamp 💻→ Sign up for the waiting list💌 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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#128 Vibe Coding Is Useless Without Strategy: Why Random AI Prototypes Don’t Work
What if you could build a working prototype just by describing it?That’s the idea behind vibe coding a new way of designing where intent replaces execution, and AI handles the details.In this episode, we explore:what vibe coding actually is and how it workshow it’s transforming the UX process and team collaborationwhich new skills designers need to stay aheadand the real risks behind the hype — from creative sameness to fragile AI codeYou’ll hear insights, real examples, and a look at how designers, PMs, and developers can work together in this new AI-powered workflow.✨ Join the Vibe Coding for UX live Training✨ From Intent to Interactive Prototype, a live training where you’ll learn to turn your ideas into testable prototypes, no coding required. 📅 Oct 29th, 5pm CET→ Grab your spot (early bird offer)AI for Designers: 5-week Bootcamp 💻→ Sign up for the waiting list💌 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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#127 How ChatGPT Apps Could Redefine UX Design: When Apps Go Invisible:
What happens to UX design when apps disappear or rather, move inside ChatGPT?Please share your thoughts with me on LinkedinIn this episode of Future of UX, Patricia explores OpenAI’s latest update: ChatGPT’s new app ecosystem. With integrations from Canva, Figma, Booking.com, and Etsy, ChatGPT is evolving into more than just a chatbot it’s becoming a platform where the interface is the conversation itself.We’ll cover:What ChatGPT’s new app store means for designers and usersWhy invisible interfaces could be the next big UX paradigm shiftThe opportunities and risks: transparency, trust, and user controlHow the role of designers may evolve from screen design to conversation architectureWhy some call this the birth of an “AI-OS”If you want to understand where UX is heading and what skills you’ll need for the future, this episode is for you.✨ Sign up for the AI Booster Session✨AI Prototyping with Vibecoding on Oct 29th, 5pm CET→ Grab your spot (early bird offer)AI for Designers: 5-week Bootcamp 💻→ Sign up for the waiting list💌 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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#126 Synthetic Users in UX Research: Hype, Reality, and the Future of Design
Curious to hear your thoughts .Please share them here: LinkedinIn this episode of Future of UX, we dive into one of the most controversial topics in design right now: synthetic users.These AI-generated “users” promise fast, cheap, scalable insights — but can they really replace talking to real people? I’ll walk you through:What synthetic users actually are and how they’re createdThe tools and platforms already being used in UX researchA real-world example comparing synthetic vs. real user interviewsBenefits like speed, inclusivity, and early idea testingThe risks: shallow answers, bias, lack of emotional depth, and ethical concernsWhat the future holds for synthetic users and how designers should approach themWhether you’re curious, skeptical, or somewhere in between, this episode will give you the full picture. Spoiler: empathy can’t be simulated.Interesting resources:🔗 Linkedin from Julian Della Mattia🔗 Article about Synthetic User by NNNG 🔗 Paper abut Synthetic Users 🔗 Deep Dive into SyntheticUsers 👉 0€ AI mini Training for Designers 👈→ Learn 3 strategies to leverage gen AI as a designer in just 30 minAI for Designers: 5-week Bootcamp 💻→ Sign up for the waiting list💌 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
About Future of UX | Your Design, Tech and User Experience Podcast | AI Design
Welcome to „The Future of UX“ - the podcast about the future of UX Design, where we explore how emerging technologies like AI, AR, VR, and the metaverse will impact user experience design. Join Patricia Reiners as they sit down with experts and thought leaders from the world of tech and design to discuss the latest trends, insights, and best practices in the field of UX.
From the ethics of AI to the future of user interfaces, we'll dive deep into the topics that matter most to UX designers, developers, and entrepreneurs. Whether you're just starting out
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