Flag

We stand with Ukraine and our team members from Ukraine. Here are ways you can help

Get exclusive access to thought-provoking articles, bonus podcast content, and cutting-edge whitepapers. Become a member of the UX Magazine community today!

Home ›› Conversational Design ›› Conversational AI Experiences Don’t Have to Suck

Member-only story

Conversational AI Experiences Don’t Have to Suck

by Josh Tyson
11 min read
Share this post on
Tweet
Share
Post
Share
Email
Print

Save

A Q&A with celebrated tech leader and design pioneer, Robb Wilson

In this candid conversation, celebrated tech leader and experience design pioneer Robb Wilson talks about the lifelong journey in technology that informed his new book from Wiley, Age of Invisible Machines: A Practical Guide to Growing a Hyperautomated Ecosystem of Intelligent Digital Workers. Equally at home reconfiguring code or designing conversational flows as he is building a house or carving his own surfboard, Wilson’s breadth of experience has proven invaluable in a sprawling and complex space.  As the founder of OneReach.ai, his work has come to define the conversational AI marketplace, but there’s much more to discuss. Before founding OneReach.ai, Wilson was already  the owner of UX Magazine, and here he explains how this publication fits into a much larger vision of technology not leaving people behind.

When I came on as managing editor of UXM back in 2012, Robb was busy running multiple startups and divided his time between Denver and Kyiv. I rarely saw Robb, but his work in both technology and design are legendary and he was always there, so to speak. A few years ago I jumped at the opportunity to spelunk the illusive Robb mind for a white paper that grew and grew until it became Age of Invisible Machines. Co-authoring a book with Robb came with the good fortune of many long and illuminating conversations that tended to change my perceptions of the world—the following exchange was no exception.

Become a member to read the whole content.

Become a member
post authorJosh Tyson

Josh Tyson
Josh Tyson is the co-author of the first bestselling book about conversational AI, Age of Invisible Machines. He is also the Director of Creative Content at OneReach.ai and co-host of both the Invisible Machines and N9K podcasts. His writing has appeared in numerous publications over the years, including Chicago Reader, Fast Company, FLAUNT, The New York Times, Observer, SLAP, Stop Smiling, Thrasher, and Westword. 

Tweet
Share
Post
Share
Email
Print
Ideas In Brief

Related Articles

What if you could build software just by talking to your computer? Welcome to vibe coding, where code takes a back seat and the vibe leads.

Article by Jacquelyn Halpern
Vibe Coding: Is This How We’ll Build Software in the Future?
  • The article introduces vibe coding, using AI to turn natural language into working code, and shows how this approach lets non-coders build software quickly and independently.
  • The piece lists key tools enabling vibe coding, like Cursor, Claude, and Perplexity, and notes risks like security, overreliance on AI, and the need for human oversight.
Share:Vibe Coding: Is This How We’ll Build Software in the Future?
7 min read

What if grieving your AI isn’t a sign of weakness, but proof it truly helped you grow? This article challenges how we think about emotional bonds with machines.

Article by Bernard Fitzgerald
Grieving the Mirror: Informed Attachment as a Measure of AI’s True Utility
  • The article explores how people can form meaningful and healthy emotional connections with AI when they understand what AI is and isn’t.
  • It introduces the Informed Grievability Test — a way to tell if an AI truly helped someone grow by seeing how they feel if they lose access to it.
  • The piece argues that grieving an AI can be a sign of real value, not weakness or confusion, and calls for more user education and less overly protective design that limits emotional depth in AI tools.
Share:Grieving the Mirror: Informed Attachment as a Measure of AI’s True Utility
7 min read

Who pays the real price for AI’s magic? Behind every smart response is a hidden human cost, and it’s time we saw the hands holding the mirror.

Article by Bernard Fitzgerald
The Price of the Mirror: When Silicon Valley Colonizes the Human Soul
  • The article reveals how AI’s human-like responses rely on the invisible labor of low-paid workers who train and moderate these systems.
  • It describes this hidden labor as a form of “cognitive colonialism,” where human judgment is extracted from the Global South for profit.
  • The piece criticizes the tech industry’s ethical posturing, showing how convenience for some is built on the suffering of others.
Share:The Price of the Mirror: When Silicon Valley Colonizes the Human Soul
7 min read

Join the UX Magazine community!

Stay informed with exclusive content on the intersection of UX, AI agents, and agentic automation—essential reading for future-focused professionals.

Hello!

You're officially a member of the UX Magazine Community.
We're excited to have you with us!

Thank you!

To begin viewing member content, please verify your email.

Tell us about you. Enroll in the course.

    This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Check our privacy policy and