2024 has been a transformative year, marked by rapid technological advancements and significant geopolitical events—particularly changes in privacy regulations and rising disinformation campaigns—that have reshaped how we perceive and interact with digital systems. These changes are not abstract; they directly influence how we design experiences. For designers, understanding these shifts means uncovering challenges, biases, and opportunities that allow us to create solutions that offer value defined not only by monetary value but also by positively impacting other lives.
Here's my take on what, based on my experience, will shape the future of UX/UI design in 2025:
- The AI Aesthetic: Gradients and Sparkles
- The Shift from Attention to Authenticity and Trust
- Beyond the static screen: Voice, Gesture, Adaptive UI and Hardware
The AI Aesthetic: Gradients and Sparkles ✨
It’s impossible to talk about design trends without bringing up AI and its impact on user interfaces. By now, AI has developed its own recognizable visual language— playful gradients, sparkles, and snappy animations. Ask someone what a button with sparkles does, and they’ll probably tell you it triggers some kind of AI-powered feature.
This trend isn’t just about visuals; it’s about making AI approachable. Sparkle-like cues and soft gradients or dark layouts with neon-like glows are designed to communicate the ease of use and evoke a sense of “magic,” as if clicking that sparkly button will fix all your woes (when, in fact, it will not) AI tools are not perfect answers, and their value depends on how thoughtfully they are designed and integrated into workflows.
My guess is that we’ll see this design language continue through 2025 as AI becomes even more ingrained in everyday products. However, tech teams must be careful about the expectations they’re creating. Over-relying on AI or adding it for the sake of hype—like slapping AI into a chat app where it doesn’t belong— has become a trend of its own. This bandwagon approach contributes to what some call “enshittification”—a gradual decline in user experience as unnecessary or half-baked features pile up. Designers and product teams need to pause and ask, Is this really helping people reach their goals? AI should solve real problems, not just tick a box to ride the hype wave.
Which takes us to the next point…
The Shift from Attention to Authenticity and Trust
For years, the Economy of Attention ruled the internet—targeted ads, clickbait, algorithm-driven feeds, and other tactics designed to keep users scrolling and clicking. But people have caught on. Users are tired of being treated like commodities. Trust in what we see, read, and experience is eroding at a rapid pace.
Platforms like X (formerly Twitter) have already felt the consequences. During events like the 2024 U.S. election, concerns around disinformation, poor moderation, and opaque corporate agendas drove users to alternatives like Bluesky (The Guardian, 2024). People are searching for platforms and experiences they can trust.
And it’s not just disinformation. The flood of AI-generated content has only made things worse. Users are now asking: What’s real? Who made this? How is my data being used? This growing skepticism has sparked a demand for transparency, accountability, and tools that help distinguish genuine, human-crafted content from machine-generated noise. It’s forcing tech teams to rethink how they build trust into their products.
Visually, this shift shows up in design patterns that push back against oversaturation, clutter, and even the pixel-perfect feel of standardization.
- Bento Boxing: Intentional, modular layouts that prioritize clarity and focus, highlighting only what matters most.
- Minimalism: Generous whitespace, bold typography, parallax, subtle motion, and a less-is-more approach offer relief from overwhelming, noisy digital spaces.
- Imperfect Design: Hand-drawn elements, organic or 3D shapes, and uneven layouts or textures reflect a human touch—a deliberate move away from synthetic, flat, and super-polished visuals.
- Neobrutalism: A raw, stripped-back aesthetic that cuts through visual noise with honesty and directness. Now, with rounder shapes and softer colors to evoke a sense of warmth.
Some creators and businesses already embrace this by labeling their work “created with love by humans.” It’s a small but meaningful signal that counters the overwhelming presence of automation.
But this raises a couple of tough questions: Can authenticity become just another commodity? As more companies jump on the ‘authenticity’ bandwagon, there’s a risk it becomes performative—a shallow marketing ploy rather than a genuine commitment to quality and connection.
Secondly, just because we can automate something, does it mean we should? Automation has consequences beyond screens. Designers must consider the ripple effects of their decisions—whether it’s jobs disappearing or entire families losing their livelihoods as processes become streamlined. It’s a reminder that our choices as creators impact real lives, not just interfaces.
Beyond the static screen: Voice, Gesture, Adaptive UI and Hardware
According to the 2024 report by Meltwater and We Are Digital, 98.1% of respondents access the internet through mobile devices, and this number continues to grow year after year. Meanwhile, the use of laptops, desktops, and tablets has declined by 3% in 2025—a clear signal that mobile has become the dominant entry point for most digital experiences.
But here’s where it gets interesting: technology is moving beyond traditional, static screens. We’re shifting toward a broader range of interactions that feel more intuitive and immersive. VR is inching closer to mainstream adoption—take Meta Quest hosting a massive franchise like Batman as an example of how standalone VR devices are trying to reach wider audiences. At the same time, AI is enhancing digital assistants, making them smarter and more capable of managing contextual, multi-program interactions.
Here’s how these trends are shaping the way we interact with technology:
- Voice Interfaces: Thanks to AI, voice control now goes beyond basic commands. For example, Instagram creator ConceptBytes used ChatGPT to build "Jarvis," a personal assistant that runs his 3D printer, laser cutter, and workshop tasks—showing how accessible and practical these tools have become for creating tailored solutions.
- Adaptive UIs: Imagine a UI that adapts to your needs—simplifying tasks for beginners, surfacing advanced tools for experts, morphing and predicting the tools and controls you might need next, and providing a hyper-personalized experience.
- Gesture Control is particularly promising for VR, AR, wearable devices like smartwatches, and systems equipped with computer vision. Thanks to hands-free interactions, users can immerse themselves more deeply in their tasks. These advancements are also unlocking new possibilities for accessibility, enabling people with disabilities to engage with digital spaces in ways that were previously out of reach.
- Hardware-Driven UX: Physical controls are making a meaningful comeback, especially in industries like healthcare and automotive. Touchscreens may look sleek, but time has proven they often distract users or fall short in critical environments. Tactile interfaces, on the other hand, provide better feedback, reduce distractions, and offer a level of reliability that touch-based systems struggle to match.
These trends point toward a future where technology feels less rigid and more natural—blending seamlessly into our surroundings to prioritize focus, accessibility, and practical utility.
Designing for What’s Next
As we head into 2025, one thing is clear: design isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about creating human-centered experiences that matter. It’s not enough for tools to look good or work efficiently; we need to ask deeper questions: Are these solutions truly helping people, or are they encouraging blind reliance on systems instead of thoughtful decision-making?
The trends shaping the future—from AI-driven tools and immersive interfaces to a push for authenticity—remind us that design’s ultimate purpose is to empower, connect, and include. We need to build systems that foster trust, prioritize accessibility, and keep users firmly in control of every decision.
Further reading:
Is AI going to steal your job and burn down your house?
Deceptive patterns Hall of Shame
