AI Apps Are Learning to Fake Presence: Smiling Mascots and Moving Cursors Replace Blank Input Boxes
round · x · 2026-09-22
Designer Emil Kowalski spots a UX trend: AI companies are making their apps feel more human. Muse uses a cute animated mascot instead of a sterile input screen, while ChatGPT Computer Use shows a moving cursor — not technically required, but it makes the process less scary and easier to follow. He likens it to early iPhone skeuomorphism: back then we imitated real objects to make tech intuitive; now we imitate presence itself.
More from Apps
- Manifold Bio unveils mBER-2, an AI protein design model tested in vivo — tomchapin · 2026-09-23
- xAI Console Redesigned With Playground to Test Grok 4.7 and Full API Stack — XFreeze · 2026-09-23
- Tesla Brings Grok Into the Car, Turning Robotaxi Into a Software Platform — Scobleizer · 2026-09-23
- HelloSol: a local-first AI agent that closes your 'I'll get back to you' loops — SucceededMind · 2026-09-23
- Enterprise AI still says 'call sales for a demo' — a massive product red flag — springrod · 2026-09-23
- Bob translator: $7 lifetime license plus custom prompts for one-key explanations — vista8 · 2026-09-23