Despite promising results on synthetic benchmarks (e.g. Vending-Bench, SpreadsheetBench, DSBench), frontier models consistently underperform once they are deployed in complex, real-world situations.

Of all the current debates around AI, one critique has stayed with me: that it’s “flattening the bar.” Tools like ChatGPT, the argument goes, make everyone’s writing sound the same — generic, overly polished, stripped of nuance. The concern is real, and I share it.

Now we’re in the agentic era, and that billing octopus grew some new tentacles just for AI agent billing. Or is it a different octopus? I’m not sure.

For years, it’s been faster to create mockups and prototypes of software than to ship it to production. As a result, software design teams could stay “ahead” of engineering. Now AI coding agents make development 10x faster, flipping the traditional software development process on its head.

From AI assistants to digital platforms, how can we design for rapid mode switching in real life? Reflections about utilitarian and experiential content and why understanding both matters.

Equal-height image layouts seem simple until you try to build one that’s truly responsive. This tutorial walks through my solution using flexbox aspect ratios, the Eleventy Image plugin, and a Nunjucks shortcode.

I joined the company as the first full-time employee and, over five years, tried on multiple roles — from product design to strategic planning. I helped the product evolve from an idea to a market-ready service, went through one pivot, and gathered a lot of insights along the way. Here’s what I learned — I hope these lessons help you avoid common mistakes in your own journey.

This week, I found myself surprisingly invested in the great modal drawer debate. A perfect reminder that even the smallest UX choices spark strong feelings. In this issue, you’ll find smart takes on notifications, a neat CSS image grid trick, and a peek at design careers without the usual fluff.

Learn why flip phones still matter in 2025, and how you can build and launch web apps for these tiny devices.

Ever wondered where that bold, slab-serif “college look” comes from? It goes way back to mid‑19th century Ivy League sportswear. Harvard’s baseball team embroidered an “H” on their flannel jackets in 1865, making them the first varsity-style letter sweaters.