Navigating the Duality of Design Approaches

You probably know Intercom… but did you know they recently incubated a new startup called Fin that has already surpassed the core business?

They’ve pulled off a massive transition to an AI-native product and design org so today we’re going behind-the-scenes with their VP of Design Emmet Connolly.

Some highlights:

• Why Emmett believes designers will own the frontend
• The opportunity for design systems in an AI-first world
• What Emmett looks for when hiring designers in the AI era
• Why liquid glass represents the wrong direction for design
• How Intercom’s AI product Fin overtook their core business
• Why the start of an S-curve is the best time to be a designer
• How AI is flipping the traditional product development process
• a lot more

• Plato’s cave analogy
• OpenAI’s forward deployed engineer role
• Apple’s liquid glass design
• Fons Mans helped on the design of Fin