In this Halloween special of Future of UX, we explore the disturbing side of digital design where clever UX crosses into manipulation, AI tools launch without proper oversight, and personalization quietly erodes user autonomy.

From real-life cases involving Snapchat’s rogue chatbot to Amazon’s subscription “traps” and a tragic AI-assisted suicide, this episode dives into the UX decisions and AI deployments that turned dark and what designers need to learn from them.

These themes were at the core of powerful conversations in the most recent AI for Designers cohort, which just wrapped last week. If you’re interested in digging deeper into ethical design, human-centered AI, and how to design with integrity — the next cohort starts in January 2026.