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Summary
Two of the most influential figures in UX, Steve Krug and Lou Rosenfeld, sit down to reflect on the thinking that built the field and what must change as we move forward. In a world shaped by AI, wider access to tools, and growing expectations of UX research beyond design delivery, they will explore how core principles are being stretched, challenged, and reinterpreted. The conversation will also focus on what does not evolve—the values, practices, and instincts that remain essential and universal. Grounded in experience across multiple cycles of growth and contraction, this conversation will provide you with perspective, continuity, and reassurance for a field in motion.
Key Insights
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Steve Krug has been secretly working on Don't Make Me Think 4.0 for 5-6 years, planning release soon.
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AI will serve as power steering in UX work, speeding tasks but not fully replacing human judgment.
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Simulated users and AI-generated personas are ineffective substitutes for watching real user interactions.
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UX professionals must maintain ethical standards and advocate for users amid economic and technological pressure.
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There is uncertainty about the future job market and roles in UX and research due to AI and automation.
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Deep understanding of AI—its strengths and limitations—is crucial for future-proofing UX careers.
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Ethical tension exists between AI’s economic drivers and the need for responsible, user-centered design.
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The UX minor at University of Michigan shows rapid growth, indicating domain knowledge blending with UX is emerging.
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Current AI hype overestimates AGI capabilities; AGI is not expected in the foreseeable future.
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UX work will shift more toward education and coaching as AI democratizes some labor but can't replace empathy.
Notable Quotes
"The first rule of book update club is you never talk about book update club."
"Unlike social media, which I think should not exist, AI should exist but with caution."
"I feel like we are the user advocates. Our job is to be on the side of the angels and the users."
"It’s not self-driving cars, it’s power steering."
"Simulated users is pure enshittification. It’s not worth the paper it’s printed on."
"There’s no reasonable prediction that AGI will exist in our lifetimes."
"You can do stuff faster, but that doesn’t mean it’s gonna do the job as well."
"Most of our job is education — teaching people what AI is good for and what it’s not."
"Things are gonna get a lot worse before they get worse."
"Empathy is key to wanting to do this job — wanting users to do well."
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