All AI products look the same

Over the past few months, I’ve tested dozens of AI-based products. They all promise to change the way I work, make me more efficient, or “multiply my productivity.” But the moment I open the app or visit the website, it all feels the same.

Light gray text on a dark background. A lightning bolt, a star, or some abstract icon as a logo. Sans-serif fonts. A minimalist interface with buttons that say “Ask me anything” or “Start generating.”

Sound familiar?

You’re not alone. Most AI products seem mass-produced. They’re so alike, it’s hard to remember which one was which. And that’s not just an aesthetic problem, it’s a strategic one.

When everything looks the same, nothing stands out. In design, first impressions matter. Not just because they’re the intro, but because they build trust, distinction, and connection. If your product looks like all the others, you’re telling the user: “I’m just another one.”

It’s ironic, we’re using one of the most advanced technologies of our time to create products… that look generic. As if the fear of getting it wrong was stronger than the desire to propose something different.

And I get it. We all want to launch fast, avoid friction, use what already “works.” But the risk of blending in is greater than the risk of choosing your own path.

What if we thought about design the same way we think about product? Most AI companies obsess over the model, the accuracy, the architecture. But design, the real user experience, is often pushed to the end, like a coat of paint.

What does the user need to understand? What scares them? How do you speak to them so they can trust something they can’t see or fully control?

AI needs design with soul. If all AI products look the same, it’s because we’re designing with templates, not with purpose. And what truly sets a brand, an experience, or a product apart is the soul you pour into it. The voice, the tone, the attention to detail, the small decisions no one sees but everyone feels.

This isn’t about doing something weird just to be different. It’s about doing something honest, something that reflects what your product truly is and what you want it to represent for those who use it.

Artificial intelligence can do a lot for us. But design still needs the most human thing of all: intention.