{"id":8183,"date":"2026-05-25T19:55:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T19:55:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themeton.com\/?p=8183"},"modified":"2026-07-20T08:24:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T08:24:25","slug":"the-era-of-artificial-intelligence-challenges-and-opportunities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themeton.com\/blog\/the-era-of-artificial-intelligence-challenges-and-opportunities\/","title":{"rendered":"The era of Artificial Intelligence: challenges and opportunities for product designers"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Artificial intelligence is no longer a future-facing concept in product design \u2013 it is the present reality shaping how digital interfaces are built, tested, and refined. In 2026, AI tools for product designers moved well beyond novelty: they automate repetitive work, generate design variations in minutes, surface UX issues from data, and accelerate every stage of the design process. According to a survey by\u00a0Lyssna, 93% of product designers are already using generative AI tools in their current work, and 73%\u00a0believe AI as a design collaborator will have the most significant impact on their discipline this year.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At\u00a0Xpand, we design a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.xpandportal.com\/?utm_source=themeton.com&amp;utm_medium=guest-post&amp;utm_campaign=The-era-of-Artificial-Intelligence\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">customer portal for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 a product where interface quality directly affects how\u00a0logistics\u00a0and ERP teams work every day. AI has become a practical part of how we design and improve it.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article covers how AI tools fit into a real product design workflow: where they save time, where they fall short, and what the cases from our own practice look like in practice.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Automation of\u00a0routine\u00a0tasks:\u00a0the\u00a0tools\u00a0worth\u00a0using\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI tools for product designers are most valuable when they eliminate the work that consumes time without requiring creative or strategic input. Here is a practical overview of tools that form part of my regular workflow:\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li><strong>Leonardo AI<\/strong>. Generates illustrations, icons, UI scenes, and promotional images. Ideal for covers, onboarding screens, and thematic visuals like <a href=\"https:\/\/depositphotos.com\/stock-photography.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">stock photography<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Uizard<\/strong>.\u00a0Creates wireframes, mockups, and prototypes from a product description or sketch. Useful for rapid idea validation and early-stage presentations.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Figma AI\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<strong>Figma Make<\/strong>.\u00a0AI capabilities now built directly into Figma, including layout generation, content filling, and interactive prototyping. One of the most widely adopted tools in designer workflows in 2026.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Google Stitch<\/strong>\u00a0(formerly Galileo AI).\u00a0Updated significantly in March 2026, it now supports an infinite canvas, voice input, and full context awareness across multi-screen projects. Still free via Google Labs, making it practical for concept exploration.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Runway ML<\/strong>.\u00a0Video and image generation, background replacement, and short promotional animations. Suitable for demos and advertising content.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Khroma<\/strong>.\u00a0AI-assisted color palette generation with built-in contrast checking against WCAG standards.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Magician<\/strong>\u00a0(Figma Plugin).\u00a0Generates text, buttons, icons, and UI elements from a prompt directly inside Figma.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Remove.bg.<\/strong>\u00a0Removes backgrounds and shadows from images with a single click \u2013 straightforward but consistently useful for mockups and interface assets.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Jitter<\/strong>.\u00a0Micro-animations for interfaces and onboarding, without requiring code. Useful for motion design in presentations and demos.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These tools act as a layer of technical support that frees the designer&#8217;s time for work that actually requires human input: defining the problem, interpreting user behavior, and making decisions that shape the product&#8217;s direction.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to a\u00a0report by Vena Solutions from 2025, 73% of sales and marketing professionals confirm that AI helps them surface insights from data they would not have found independently. This applies equally to design research. AI is increasingly used not just for generation but as a research instrument \u2013 collecting large volumes of data,\u00a0identifying\u00a0behavioral patterns, and flagging pain points that might take weeks to surface through traditional methods.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In practice, this shows up in three areas:\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>Data collection and competitive analysis.\u00a0Advanced search capabilities in tools like Claude can map a competitive landscape in 10\u201315 minutes, a task that previously consumed hours of manual research.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Fast prototyping and validation of ideas\u00a0\u00a0Enables building fully interactive, clickable prototypes for rapid hypothesis testing and validation. Claude, available with a paid subscription, can also be integrated directly into Figma \u2013 feed it your design system and prompt it to generate entire mockup flows.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Interview transcription and synthesis.\u00a0Tools like Otter.ai transcribe conversations, and Claude with appropriate context,\u00a0can extract key themes and quotes from those transcripts, significantly reducing the time between research and insight.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Removing the mechanical parts of the research process \u2013 transcription, data collection, initial pattern recognition \u2013 frees time for what actually requires human expertise: interpreting complex user motivations and making design decisions that AI cannot make alone.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reimagining\u00a0outdated\u00a0interfaces:\u00a0how\u00a0AI\u00a0identifies\u00a0problems\u00a0and\u00a0proposes\u00a0solutions\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many existing products \u2013 particularly in the logistics and ERP sector \u2013 carry interfaces that were functional when built but have since become genuinely difficult to use. AI tools are now practical enough to serve as a first-pass diagnostic on these problems.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Case 1: Auditing a\u00a0logistics\u00a0platform\u00a0interface\u00a0with AI<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We uploaded a screenshot of a widely used logistics database management platform to Claude with a prompt requesting a detailed UX audit. The audit identified five issues: no global delivery status, interface overload without visual hierarchy, low text contrast, unintuitive action buttons, and an unreadable event list. AI then proposed a redesigned mockup \u2013 tabbed structure, cleaner typography, repositioned CTAs \u2013 which served as a starting point for manual refinement.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/artimg.info\/6a14511cbd641.webp\" alt=\"6a14511cbd641.webp\" \/><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The output is not production-ready and requires refinement. The value is the speed: from problem identification to visual hypothesis in minutes,\u00a0but\u00a0not days.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Case 2: Updating the UI of a B2B\u00a0customer\u00a0portal\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A common scenario in B2B platform work is the need to quickly generate redesign directions for team discussion \u2013 not a full UX overhaul, but a visual update that signals a new direction.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We worked with a\u00a0customer\u00a0portal that was structured but visually dated: overloaded with colored blocks, misaligned emphasis, and an aesthetic that did not meet modern B2B expectations.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI proposed a clean minimalist layout: generous white space, a single primary action highlighted, the aggressive filter panel replaced with a lighter toolbar, and a clear grid that improved readability across high-volume data.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/artimg.info\/6a14512f1323d.webp\" alt=\"6a14512f1323d.webp\" \/><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The element-level output needed manual correction, but the overall visual direction was clear and aligned the team without hours of manual ideation.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One practical extension of this workflow: feed Claude your brand guidelines alongside a prompt that describes your visual preferences, and you can generate a ready-to-use style guideline as output. Pass that guideline back to an AI tool \u2013 Figma Make, for example \u2013 and ask it to build screens based on it. The result is more consistent, more stable output, and significantly less manual correction at the end.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Xpand Portal, AI helps the design team test UI\/UX hypotheses quickly and maintain visual consistency across a dynamic product \u2013 exactly the kind of workflow described above.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What\u00a0designers\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0develop\u00a0now\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A November 2024 Hub Spotreport on AI and web design\u00a0found that approximately 49% of UX designers were already using AI to experiment with\u00a0new design\u00a0strategies. The\u00a0remainder\u00a0cited frequent errors and loss of nuance \u2013 concerns that remain valid in 2026, even as the tools have improved.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A study presented at the CHI &#8217;25 conference found that designers use AI tools most at specific stages \u2013 ideation and analysis \u2013 rather than across the board. This matches practice: AI works best on bounded, well-defined tasks.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two skills are becoming essential. First, prompt engineering: formulating precise instructions that produce useful output. Second, critical evaluation: assessing AI results for bias and loss of product identity, and deciding with confidence what to use and what to discard.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI can generate options at scale. Deciding which option is right \u2013 for the user, the product, and the brand \u2013 remains a human decision.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How\u00a0we\u00a0apply\u00a0this\u00a0at Xpand\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Xpand, AI is applied selectively: to automate repetitive tasks, accelerate research, and generate design hypotheses that speed up team alignment. Strategic and creative decisions remain the designer&#8217;s responsibility.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are working with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and need a product that makes that data accessible through a well-designed self-service portal, book a free demo session at\u00a0Xpand Portal.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Artificial intelligence is no longer a future-facing concept in product design \u2013 it is the present reality shaping how digital interfaces are built, tested, and refined. In 2026, AI tools for product designers moved well beyond novelty: they automate repetitive work, generate design variations in minutes, surface UX issues from data, and accelerate every stage [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":8184,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-web-design"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themeton.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8183","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themeton.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themeton.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themeton.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themeton.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8183"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/themeton.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8183\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8882,"href":"https:\/\/themeton.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8183\/revisions\/8882"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themeton.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8184"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themeton.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themeton.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themeton.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}