I wrote this after working on the first product for Defog (YC W23) last year. Now, with the pace at which AI products are evolving—faster models, more autonomy, shifting user expectations—I find myself wondering: do those early design principles still hold up?

This piece is a mix of lessons from the trenches and open questions about what needs to change as we continue designing for systems that behave less like tools and more like collaborators.

Curious to hear how others thinking about AI interfaces are adapting their design instincts—or maybe discarding them.