In this episode, we're diving into one of the biggest shifts happening in digital product design right now: AI agents.

AI agents are no longer just answering questions – they’re planning, making decisions, and acting on behalf of users. This fundamentally changes how we design experiences.

You’ll learn:

What AI agents actually are (and how they differ from chatbots)
How they’re transforming UX and product workflows
Core design principles for working with agents
Ethical concerns we need to consider
And a personal example of how I used ChatGPT’s Agent Mode to book a hotel in Copenhagen

Plus, I’ll share tools and frameworks to help you start designing for agent-based experiences.

🔑 Key Takeaways

AI agents are autonomous systems that can observe, plan, and act without being explicitly told what to do.
UX for agents requires new patterns: transparency, consistency, user control, and trust-building.
ChatGPT’s new Agent Mode is a clear example of proactive AI that collaborates with users instead of just responding to them.
Tools like Figma (with branching logic), Lookback, and explainability dashboards help prototype and test agent behavior.
New interaction patterns are emerging, such as “suggest and confirm” or “mixed-initiative interaction.”
Ethical design is essential: we need to actively design against manipulation, bias, overtrust, and privacy violations.

🛠️ Resources & Links

AI UX Guidelines

Agent Tools & Prototyping

SuperAGI (Open-Source Agent Framework)
Google Dialogflow
Botmock – Design conversational flows
Figma Prototyping & Branching

User Testing Tools

Lookback
Maze
UserTesting

Explainability & Oversight

ChatGPT Agent Mode & Connectors

OpenAI: Introducing GPTs & Agent Mode
Using Connectors in ChatGPT

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I’d love to hear your feedback! Find us on Instagram @ux.patricia & @futureofux_podcast or on LinkedIn Patricia Reiners & Future of UX

#118 Designing for AI Agents: UX Patterns, Ethics & Tools

Future of UX | Your Design, Tech and User Experience Podcast | AI Design