#145 From Pixels to Power: Why Designers Must Become Builders with Morten Rand-Hendriksen
From Future of UX | Your Design, Tech and User Experience Podcast | AI Design by Patricia Reiners
February 26, 2026 · 1h 9m
About this episode
The episode discusses the evolving role of designers in the age of AI, emphasizing the need for designers to become builders and understand systems beyond traditional interfaces.
What if the future of UX isn’t about better interfaces — but about moving beyond interfaces altogether? In this episode, I’m joined by Morten Rand-Hendriksen, Principal Instructor at LinkedIn Learning, to talk about where design is really heading in the age of AI. Morten has a background in web development, UX, and interaction design, and over the last years has gone deep into AI and product thinking. We’ve met at conferences like Future Product Days and had several conversations before — and every time, he brings a perspective that challenges assumptions in the best possible way. This episode is not about tools. It’s about responsibility, agency, power shifts — and what it really means to be a designer today. We talk about: • Why technology is always a choice — even when it feels inevitable • What happens when users bypass interfaces completely • Why designing for screens might already be outdated • How AI agents change the balance between automation and control • Why service design is becoming more important than ever • Why designers now have an advantage over engineers • And what junior and mid-level designers should focus on today One of my favorite moments: “You didn’t…
People in this episode
Host: Patricia Reiners
Guest: Morten Rand-Hendriksen
Topics covered
- AI in design
- responsibility in design
- future of UX
- service design
- automation
- design agency
Keywords
- UX design
- AI agents
- product thinking
- automation
- service design
- design responsibility
- user interfaces
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: LinkedIn Learning
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