Design of AI | Build Products that Customers & Businesses Value

2025 is almost over, and it’s time to stop pretending everything is fine.If you work in design, writing, product, research, or agencies, you’ve felt it: fewer jobs, lower rates, shrinking teams—and an industry telling you AI is here to free you while quietly replacing you.In AI Trap, Episode 48, we break down the biggest myths we’ve been sold:AI will free creatives to do more meaningful workAI will create more jobs than it destroysAI will make us smarter and more creativeSome of these are partially true. That’s what makes them dangerous.We look at real data, real job market signals, and what’s already happening inside agencies and tech companies. We talk about why creativity is being commoditized, why value is collapsing for most creatives, and the line too many people are crossing: outsourcing their thinking instead of outsourcing their work.---Please help us: we’re running a short survey alongside this episode. If you work in a creative or knowledge role, your input is critical. It takes about three minutes, and it helps us separate hype from reality. https://tally.so/r/Y5D2Q5----This is episode 48 of the Design of AI podcast.If you found this conversation valuable, please rate and share the show — your support shapes what we explore next.For more AI strategy, creative research, and product insight, subscribe to designofai.substack.comHosted by Arpy Dragffy Guerrero & Brittany Hobbs-----Most AI projects fail—not because the technology is weak, but because they’re not designed to deliver real customer value.PH1 Research helps organizations reimagine their customer experience with AI. We pinpoint what customers actually need, prototype and test solutions, and audit AI products before they ship.We’ve worked with teams at Microsoft, Spotify, and fast-growing startups. Learn more at ph1.ca, or reach out directly to our host, Arpy Dragffy.

AI is threatening creativity, but that's because we're giving too much control to the machine to think on our behalf.In this episode, Dr. Maya Ackerman — AI-creativity researcher, professor, and author of Creative Machines: AI, Art & Us — explains why the danger isn’t AI itself, but the way we’re designing AI products. She breaks down how today’s tools are unintentionally flattening originality, how “Oracle-mode” models limit imagination, and why we must shift toward building systems that expand human creativity rather than automate it away.For designers, product managers, and builders, this conversation is a blueprint for developing AI tools that inspire exploration, push users beyond predictable patterns, and create space for genuine ingenuity. If you design tools for creative work, this episode reframes what it means to build technology that actually elevates the human mind rather than quietly replacing it.➤ Why most AI products suppress creativityHow over-alignment and “correctness” kill imaginative output, and what to do instead.➤ How hallucinations can fuel originalityWhy they’re not failures, but essential sparks for new creative directions.➤ How AI is reshaping cultural expectations of music, art, and designAnd what this means for teams building creative platforms today.➤ How to design “Humble Creative Machines”AI that enhances a creator’s skill and taste instead of taking over the process.➤ How to build incentives that reward curiosity and exploration02:50 The Role of AI in Enhancing Human Creativity03:26 Historical Perspective on AI and Creativity04:39 The Importance of Novelty and Value in AI Creativity05:52 AI's Potential Beyond Current Applications07:32 Hallucinations: Feature or Bug?08:51 Ethical Considerations in AI Creativity11:13 Humble AI: Elevating Human Creativity24:18 The Role of AI in Creativity25:49 Integrating AI into Creative Workflows26:47 AI as a Creative Assistant27:31 AI in Coding vs. Creative Fields29:51 Incentives in the Creative Domain31:43 Balancing Technology and Humanity39:33 The Future of Education with AI43:37 Practical Tips for Adapting to AI44:04 Collective and Individual Actions for the AI Era45:44 Final Thoughts and Book PromotionShifting product strategy away from speed and efficiency toward human ingenuity.Creative Machines: AI, Art & Us — Dr. Ackerman’s bookhttps://maya-ackerman.com/creative-machines-bookLyricStudio — AI-powered lyric writinghttps://lyricstudio.net“Humble Creative Machines: Creating AI to Elevate You”https://www.theaioptimist.com/p/humble-creative-machines-creatingThis is Episode 47 of the Design of AI Podcast.If you found this conversation valuable, please rate and share the show — your support shapes what we explore next.For more AI strategy, creative research, and product insight, subscribe to https://designofai.substack.com.Hosted by Arpy Dragffy Guerrero https://www.linkedin.com/in/adragffy/Brought to you by PH1, a strategy consultancy specializing in prototyping the future of your products and business.https://ph1.ca-----It’s time for our year-end survey: Professional Success in the era of AI 2026So many of you that we speak to confide in us that you’re worried about your jobs and how to stay relevant as AI is rapidly evolving.You’ll also help us shape next year’s podcast topics. https://tally.so/r/Y5D2Q5You can participate at   – it will only take 5 minutes of your time.

The hardest part of building an AI product isn’t the model, it’s the market.Jessica Randazza Pade, one of today’s leading experts in AI commercialization and Head of Brand Activation & Commercialization at Neurable, joins us to share why most AI products fail and how to build ones that don’t.She explains how to close the gap between engineering and adoption, why “AI” is not a value proposition, and how making technology invisible can become your biggest competitive advantage. Her core message: you have to deliver real value if you want to keep your customers tomorrow.What you’ll learn:➤ Why “AI” isn’t a value prop and how to build for outcomes, not hype.➤ The three traits every product that actually sells has in common.➤ How to align engineering and marketing through user feedback loops.➤ Why “cheaper, faster, better” is a trap and empathy is the real moat.➤ The next frontier in AI health and personalization.This is episode 46 of the Design of AI Podcast.Please rate the show if you find it valuable, as your ratings and comments shape future topics.For more AI strategy and research, subscribe to our newsletter: designofai.substack.comThis episode was hosted byArpy Dragffy Guerrero — https://linkedin.com/in/adragffy Brought to you by PH1 Research, a strategy consultancy specializing in mapping the future of your business and product.Jessica leads the team driving brand activation and commercialization at Neurable. Named one of Campaign US’s 40 Over 40 and Elle Magazine’s 40 Under 40, Jessica is an award-winning global digital marketer, business leader, and storyteller. With a proven track record of helping both Fortune 100 companies and startups achieve explosive growth through data-driven, real-time marketing, she has built and sold successful companies and led high-performing teams at IDEO, Danone, and DigitasLBi across the U.S., EMEA, and Greater China.Follow her on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessicarandazzaLearn more about Neurable and their pioneering brain-computer interface https://www.neurable.com/ It’s time for our year-end survey: Professional Success in the era of AI 2026So many of you that we speak to confide in us that you’re worried about your jobs and how to stay relevant as AI is rapidly evolving.You’ll also help us shape next year’s podcast topics. You can participate at  https://tally.so/r/Y5D2Q5 – it will only take 5 minutes of your time.

The next revolution in AI isn’t another tool, it’s a reconstruction of how organizations think, act, and create meaning. Strategist and designer Kwame Nyanning (Partner & Chief Design Officer at EY Seren) argues that the companies who win the agentic era won’t be the fastest to automate — they’ll be the first to redesign their ontology: the invisible system of goals, relationships, and decisions that define value. His book Agentics, How to design AI agents for impact, growth & innovations reframes AI not as a tool, but as a design medium for intent, alignment, and emergence. What you’ll learn:➤ How agentic systems blur the line between user, product, and enterprise—and what it means to lead in that new reality.➤ Why design is shifting from pixel-perfect outputs to intent-perfect systems, where meaning and business-redefining ontology drives performance.➤ Why the real risk of automation isn’t lost jobs but lost meaning, and how friction, constraint, and emotion become the new luxury.➤ How agencies and teams can thrive by trading efficiency for proof of alignment and outcomes that matter.—-------This is episode 45 of the Design of AI Podcast. And please make sure to rate this podcast if you find it valuable. Your podcast ratings and comments are the best way to influence which topics we cover in future episodes. And if you want more AI strategy & research content, subscribe to our substack newsletter at ⁠https://designofai.substack.com/⁠ Our next AI Product Strategy workshop is happening on November 20.In this 3-hour online workshop you’ll leverage our framework for discovering and pressure-testing disruptive AI product ideas. Get more info at designof.ai/workshop —----------This episode was hosted by:Arpy Dragffy Guerrero ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adragffy/⁠ Brittany Hobbs  ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyhobbs/⁠This episode is brought to you by PH1 Research, a research & strategy consultancy specialized in mapping the future of your business & product. Get more info at ⁠PH1.ca⁠—--------Kwame Nyanning is a strategist, designer, and thought leader working at the intersection of AI, enterprise transformation, and human-centered design. Formerly with McKinsey, Frog, and Infosys, and now embedded in EY Saren, Kwame’s work explores how organizations must move beyond incremental automation and instead reimagine their very ontology — the foundational logic of how value and meaning are created.Follow him on Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/kwamenyanning Buy his must-read book here Available in paperback or Kindle.Follow Design of AI podcast here:⁠⁠Spotify⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/3O11vQKPpKI5ZlJhdRGwnf⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/design-of-ai-product-strategy-innovation-career-growth/id1734499859⁠  ⁠YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DesignofAI⁠

Product teams are moving fast on AI—but speed without discovery is a trap. Teresa Torres—author of Continuous Discovery Habits and one of the most trusted voices in modern product thinking—reveals why teams that skip real customer contact are building faster and failing faster.In this episode, you’ll learn how to:Avoid the AI discovery trap: Don’t fall for synthetic users, fake insights, and “discovery theater.” Teresa shows how to ground AI-assisted research in real human context so your data actually leads to defensible products.Use AI to think deeper, not cheaper: Learn the high-leverage ways AI can supercharge synthesis, spot patterns across thousands of signals, and accelerate prototyping—without replacing the empathy and nuance only humans can see.Turn discovery into your moat: Discover why first-hand customer contact is still the ultimate competitive edge—and how teams using AI to augment discovery (not outsource it) are finding opportunities their competitors miss.—-------This is episode 44 of the Design of AI Podcast.If this conversation helps you build smarter, rate the podcast and leave a comment—your feedback shapes the next topics we explore.Want to go deeper? Subscribe to our Substack newsletter for AI strategy & research insights.Our next AI Product Strategy Workshop is on November 20. In this 3-hour online session, you’ll learn our framework for discovering and pressure-testing disruptive AI product ideas. Get details at https://designof.ai/workshop.—----------This episode was hosted by:Arpy Dragffy Guerrero (Founder & Principal Strategist PH1 Research) ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adragffy/⁠ Brittany Hobbs https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyhobbs/ And if you want more AI strategy & research content, subscribe to our substack newsletter at ⁠https://designofai.substack.com/⁠ This episode is brought to you by PH1 Research, a research & strategy consultancy specialized in mapping the future of your business & product. Get more info at ⁠PH1.ca⁠ Follow us here:⁠⁠Spotify⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/3O11vQKPpKI5ZlJhdRGwnf⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/design-of-ai-product-strategy-innovation-career-growth/id1734499859⁠  ⁠YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DesignofAI⁠—------Teresa Torres is a globally recognized product discovery coach and author of Continuous Discovery Habits. Through her company, Product Talk, she’s helped thousands of teams build the habits that make products succeed: weekly customer conversations, continuous assumption testing, and opportunity mapping that ties directly to outcomes.She also hosts two podcasts—All Things Product (with Petra Wille) and Just Now Possible, where she interviews product teams building the next generation of AI-driven experiences.Links:Blog: ⁠ProductTalk.org⁠Community: ⁠Members.ProductTalk.org⁠Product Talk Academy: ⁠Learn.ProductTalk.org⁠Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/ttorres⁠Linkedin: ⁠http://linkedin.com/in/teresatorres/⁠YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/ProductTalkVideos⁠