The Future of Interface is Invisible
Moving beyond screens: how AI and ambient computing will change the way we design digital products.
We are reaching peak screen. We carry them, wear them, and stare at them for 10+ hours a day. But the next wave of computing isn't about better screens; it's about no screens at all.
Ambient Computing
Imagine a world where the computer recedes into the background. You don't "use" a computer; you just live your life, and the environment responds.
AI as the UI
With LLMs and agentic AI, the command line is returning, but this time it speaks English (and French, and Swahili). The strict GUI patterns of buttons and forms are inefficient compared to intent-based computing.
1. **Intent**: "Get me a coffee."
2. **Action**: AI negotiates the order.
3. **Result**: Coffee arrives.
Where is the UI in that flow? It's the trust. It's the verification. It's the "personality" of the agent.
Preparing for the Shift
As designers, we need to stop thinking in rectangles and start thinking in flows and conversational patterns. The visual design will become less about layout and more about *feeling* and *trust*.