Ecosystems, agency and abstraction

Morten discusses lock-in tradeoffs, abstractions in AI tools, and how automation reduces user control.

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What if the future of UX isn’t about better interfaces — but about moving beyond interfaces altogether?

In this episode, I’m joined by Morten Rand-Hendriksen, Principal Instructor at LinkedIn Learning, to talk about where design is really heading in the age of AI.

Morten has a background in web development, UX, and interaction design, and over the last years has gone deep into AI and product thinking. We’ve met at conferences like Future Product Days and had several conversations before — and every time, he brings a perspective that challenges assumptions in the best possible way.

This episode is not about tools.
It’s about responsibility, agency, power shifts — and what it really means to be a designer today.

We talk about:

• Why technology is always a choice — even when it feels inevitable
• What happens when users bypass interfaces completely
• Why designing for screens might already be outdated
• How AI agents change the balance between automation and control
• Why service design is becoming more important than ever
• Why designers now have an advantage over engineers
• And what junior and mid-level designers should focus on today

One of my favorite moments:

“You didn’t become a designer to move pixels. You became a designer because you saw how the world could be better.”

This conversation goes deep. It touches capitalism, automation, AI agents, product moats disappearing, and why the future belongs to people who understand systems — not just surfaces.

If you’re feeling excited, overwhelmed, curious, or slightly uncomfortable about where AI is taking design — this episode is for you.

Find Morten:

Morten's Ted talk

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