https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-xg4eg-1b1c012

On this episode I’m joined by Jess Holbrook, Head of UX Research for Microsoft AI.

We talk about what UX research can—and cannot—tell us about what people need; why user-centered design may be too individualistic for technologies whose effects extend across families, workplaces, communities, and institutions; and what it means to put researchers in the room while AI systems are still being built rather than after fundamental design decisions have already been made.

Over the past 12 years, Jess has held senior research and design leadership roles across Microsoft, Meta, Google, and Amazon. He previously led Generative AI, Responsible AI, and data transparency UX research at Meta, and at Google he founded and led the People + AI Research group, or PAIR, before serving as Head of UX for the Responsible AI and Human-Centered Technology group. His work has focused on bringing human-centered and inclusive approaches into the development of AI systems and translating emerging machine-learning capabilities into products designed around people’s needs.

Jess also writes regularly about AI, frontier UX research, research slop and the future of human-centered technology on his Substack, Gen Purpose.