Design of AI: Improve how product teams leverage AI

• 28. AI will Transform Product Research [John Whalen, Author of Design for How People Think]

  AI may replace many of our jobs. UX Research is one of the roles most at risk because the technology is increasingly automating many of the tasks.. John Whalen is one of the researchers working at the forefront of leveraging AI. He joins us to map out the future of research and how anyone in product can ride the AI-augmentation wave to better individual and team results.This is episode 28 and we’re discussing how AI will transform product research with John Whalen Ph.D. We cover a topics that are hugely important to anyone working in product and agencies:➤ How to gain more influence with stakeholders and leaders➤ That’s it IS possible to do 7 weeks of work in 7 days thanks to AI➤ Researchers must be curious about AI or get wiped out➤ How we work has already been disrupted every time a new tool arrives➤ Why synthetic users are actually immensely powerful, and when to use themJohn Whalen leads Insights & Innovation at Brilliant Experience, where he helps global brands understand the psychology behind their customers' behaviors and bring successful products to market.Initially skeptical about AI, John and his team conducted extensive “AI vs. Humans” studies to pinpoint precisely where AI-enhanced research excels—and where human judgment remains irreplaceable, and became convinced that AI will transform how research will be done.Now he regularly interviews pioneering founders in the AI-for-UX space and leverages the latest AI tools to deliver rapid, scaled, global insights for top brands.With a PhD from Johns Hopkins, John combines academic rigor with real-world pragmatism to help UX researchers and product leaders harness the new realities of AI-powered research.Follow him https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwhalen/ Learn about his work at https://brilliantexperience.com  —-------Participate in our AI product recommendations database here https://airtable.com/appeE4oGqKJ17Rwum/pagFmrnUrIkAdHg4n/form Thank you for listening to the Design of AI podcast. We provide a pragmatic and practical deep dive into what AI can do and how it is transforming industries. We help designers, researchers, and product managers excel in a rapidly changing future.If you find this strategic content helpful, make sure to follow us on your fave podcasting app. It really helps us if you leave reviews.We’re on a mission to collect examples of how you’re using AI to elevate how you work. Share your examples at designof.aiThis episode was hosted by:Arpy Dragffy Guerrero (Founder & Principal Strategist PH1 Research) https://www.linkedin.com/in/adragffy/ Brittany Hobbs (VP Insights, Huge)  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyhobbs/Please make sure to subscribe to our Substack to never miss an episode. On the Design of AI substack you’ll also receive more strategic insights and recommended products.  https://designofai.substack.com/ 

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• 27. Implementing AI in Creative Teams: Why Adoption Will Surge [Jan Emmanuele, Superside]

  How are the world’s largest brands leveraging AI? Where are they getting the greatest ROI? What are the biggest fears and barriers to adopting AI at scale? To answer these questions we invited one of the world’s leading AI consultants to explain what’s happening today and shifts he expects in the near future. This is episode 27 and our guest is Jan Emmanuele, Director of Generative AI Consulting at Superside. We’re discussing implementing AI at-scale in creative teams and cover:➤ Where businesses are getting the most value from AI➤ GenAI’s ability to massively scale creative outputs➤ Processes and strategies for implementing AI effectively➤ Addressing the challenges and fears of leveraging AI➤ AI’s adoption as a creative multiplier will surge in 2026This episode is perfect for business, product, and design leaders who want to get details on how to best implement AI to augment and automate workflows.Jan leads Superside’s AI Consulting department, working intimately with some of the leading companies - incl. several Fortune 500 companies - to integrate AI into their creative workflows. Prior, he was leading investments into AI startups at a venture capital fund and has 3 years experience as a McKinsey consultant working on tech and software topics. He also holds a PhD on AI for cancer treatment and developed AI solutions in a medical device company, including several patents.Follow him and Superside:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-emmanuele-4a13a3118https://www.superside.com/ Thank you for listening to the Design of AI podcast. We provide a pragmatic and practical deep dive into what AI can do and how it is transforming industries. We help designers, researchers, and product managers excel in a rapidly changing future.If you find this strategic content helpful, make sure to follow us on your fave podcasting app. It really helps us if you leave reviews.This episode was hosted by:Arpy Dragffy Guerrero (Founder & Principal Strategist PH1 Research) https://www.linkedin.com/in/adragffy/ Brittany Hobbs (VP Insights, Huge)  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyhobbs/Please make sure to subscribe to our Substack to never miss an episode. On the Design of AI substack you’ll also receive more strategic insights and recommended products. We’ll also be announcing events soon too.  https://designofai.substack.com/

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• 26. Designing a New Relationship with AI: Critical Mindset Shifts for Success [Sara Vienna, Metalab]

  What we design and how we design are changing because of AI. It’s happening faster than anyone could imagine. Our guest Sara Vienna has been designing a new relationship with AI and she’s been doing it for years ahead of others.She is Chief Design Officer at Metalab, one of the top design consultancies in the world, she leads exceptional design talent who are leveraging AI to its fullest. Sara has shaped the technology landscape for some of the biggest brands in the world and tomorrow’s disruptors. This is episode 26 and we’re discussing Designing a New Relationship with AI. This is the most important episode yet, because we discuss:➤ Shifting our mindsets about AI, design, and value creation➤ Just because something is faster doesn't mean it's of quality➤ The great responsibility of designers to question our work➤ Challenge yourself & experiment or you will get left behind➤ Consumers will put  money towards experiences that are valuable--------Thank you for listening to the Design of AI podcast. We provide a pragmatic and practical deep dive into what AI can do and how it is transforming industries. We help designers, researchers, and product managers excel in a rapidly changing future.If you find this strategic content helpful, make sure to follow us on your fave podcasting app. It really helps us if you leave reviews.---------As Chief Design Officer, Sara leads Metalab’s Research, Strategy, and Design to ship best-in-class products. Metalab, recently listed as one of Fast Company’s Design Companies of the Year, made its name designing for companies like Slack, Uber, Pitch, Instacart, and Headspace. The team continues to leave its mark across emerging startups and household names such as Suno, Midjourney, Nike, Pika, and The Atlantic.Sara is also an advisor to Metalab's Venture Fund companies helping early-stage start-ups become the next unicorn. She lives on the island of Oahu, Hawaii with her family including two rescue fur babies.Follow Sara and Metalab on Linkedinhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/saraviennahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/metalab@sravienna and @metalab on most other socialsAnd make sure to read her article which was the inspiration of this talk:https://www.metalab.com/blog/designing-new-relationship-with-ai -------This episode was hosted by:Arpy Dragffy Guerrero (Founder & Head of product strategy, PH1 Research)https://www.linkedin.com/in/adragffy/ Brittany Hobbs (VP Insights, Huge) https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyhobbs/Please make sure to subscribe to our Substack to never miss an episode. On the Design of AI substack you’ll also receive more strategic insights and recommended products. We’ll also be announcing events soon too. https://designofai.substack.com/ 

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• 25. Faster, Cheaper, Better: AI’s Transformation of Insights & Strategy [David Boyle, author of PROMPT]

  Every product, design, and business decision we make is powered by insights. Will AI help all of us to make better strategic decisions? For two decades David Boyle has been working with the biggest brands in the world to deliver insights that inform global strategies. We discuss the future of insights & strategy in the era of AI. ➤ AI is transforming the speed and impact of research ➤ How we’re getting better answers and more informed strategies ➤ Orgs must foster a cultural shift to take advantage of AI ➤ AI can be confidently, persuasively wrong ➤ Experts will always be critical to evaluating AI outputs Please make sure to subscribe to our Substack to get the most important strategy, news, and training insights: ⁠https://designofai.substack.com/⁠  -------- David Boyle helps organisations grow by using AI and by finding hidden truths in their audience data. He's passionate about audience insight, business strategy and making work better, quicker and happier through the thoughtful application of language models like ChatGPT. David built the insight team that transformed EMI Music to put audiences at the heart of decisions. He went on to leadership roles at BBC, MasterClass and Harrods before founding Audience Strategies in 2019.  David is the lead author of the PROMPT series of books, which offer practical guides for using language models across different industries. Drawing on his background in analytics and strategy, he's become a leading voice in how organisations can harness AI's potential while avoiding its pitfalls. He sees language models as an "electric bike for the mind" - a powerful multiplier that still needs human steering. Having worked with dozens of the world's leading companies, David brings a grounded perspective on AI adoption. He advocates for a balanced approach: language models can achieve about 70% of traditional research quality in a fraction of the time and cost, but outputs should always be verified. His "4P's" framework emphasises that effective AI use requires preparation, process, and proficiency - not just prompts. Follow him: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beglen/ --------- Thank you for listening to the Design of AI podcast.  Our mission is to improve how AI is leveraged. We interview leaders at the forefront of AI to unpack strategies and lessons for designers and product teams. If you like learning about AI and how to grow your career, make sure to follow us on your fave podcasting app. It really helps us if you leave reviews. This episode was hosted by: Arpy Dragffy Guerrero (Founder & Head of product strategy, PH1 Research) https://www.linkedin.com/in/adragffy/  Brittany Hobbs (VP Insights, Huge)  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyhobbs/

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• 24. Adding AI to Miro: Case Study in Improving the UX of Existing Products [Ioana Teleanu]

  We’re two years into the GenAI era and there’s still plenty of uncertainty about how to best leverage AI to improve existing products. Ioana Teleanu will walk through her advice to designers and product teams looking to improve existing products. She was the lead designer, AI at Miro and runs the AI Goodies newsletter. This is episode 24 and we’re discussing how to leverage AI to improve the UX of existing products ➤ Challenges and opportunities for designers ➤ Focus on solving real problems with AI solutions ➤ Understanding intent is crucial for effective AI ➤ The risk of ruining a good product by forcing AI on users ➤ Deciding where and how to start leveraging AI in your product Ioana Teleanu is the founder of AI-R Studio, a boutique design agency specializing in AI design. In the past, she shaped the experience of Miro AI as their Lead Product Designer for AI and UiPath’s Clipboard AI, which was granted Time Magazine's 'Best Invention of 2023' award.  She's the creator and instructor of one of the most successful courses on AI for Designers. She also helps designers navigate the transformation of the AI x Design space on her social channels UX Goodies, as well as through the AI Goodies newsletter. Add her on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ioanateleanu/ Follow her newsletter & course: https://zaap.bio/uxgoodies ----------- This episode was sponsored by PH1, a research & strategy consultancy that has been working with Spotify, Microsoft, Dell, National Football League, Telus, and various educational, health, and public sector orgs to map the future of their organizations. PH1 specializes in researching, conceptualizing, aligning, and testing how to improve your products and service. https://ph1.ca ----------- Our mission is to improve how AI is leveraged. We interview leaders at the forefront of AI to unpack strategies and lessons for designers and product teams. If you like learning about AI and how to grow your career, make sure to follow us on your fave podcasting app. It really helps us if you leave reviews. To get more AI and career resources, subscribe on Substack: https://designofai.substack.com/  --------- This episode was hosted by: Arpy Dragffy Guerrero (Founder & Head of product strategy, PH1 Research)  https://www.linkedin.com/in/adragffy/  Brittany Hobbs (VP Insights, Huge)  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyhobbs/ --------- Questions, pitches, or partnerships? [email protected]

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