UX Fika Podcast #7: Cennydd Bowles on Deceptive Patterns, What Could Go Wrong, and Why He Left Design
In this episode of the UX Fika podcast, I reconnect with Cennydd Bowles – technology ethicist, author of Future Ethics, and recent Fulbright Scholar. We last spoke four years ago, just as ethical design was entering the mainstream. A lot has happened since then.
Cennydd shares what he’s been up to – completing a master’s in Practical Ethics at Oxford, teaching in the U.S., and now preparing for a PhD exploring deception in AI-driven interfaces. We talk about what’s changed since 2021, why he’s now fully stepped away from hands-on design, and what concerns him most about AI’s role in shaping the future of work.
We explore how the commoditisation of design has created the perfect entry point for automation, why “good enough” might be all companies care about, and how designers can respond – ethically, strategically, and collectively. Cennydd also shares a first look at his next book, What Could Go Wrong?, and why he’s more interested than ever in equipping designers with practical ways to anticipate harm and push back.
Plus:
☕️ Why grapes is his go to fika nowadays
⭐ Why you should remember the sea exists
Where you’ll find Cennydd:
Where you’ll find Anna & UX Fika:
If you liked this episode, help us reach more people by following, leaving a rating and a review.
~
#uxdesign, #business, #ai #deceptivepatterns #whatcouldgowrong #technology, #ai #ethics #innovation #productdesign #uxfika #uxfikapodcast #cennyddbowles