AI Is The New UI. 3 Steps Business Leaders Must Take Now

Terry Jones, founding CEO of Travelocity and chairman of Kayak, said during a recent conversation we had, “AI is the new UI” — and a light went on for me. For decades, we’ve interacted with technology through screens, buttons and menus. But a fundamental shift is underway — artificial intelligence is becoming the new user interface.

This transformation isn’t just about chatbots; it’s about AI becoming the primary means through which we interact with systems, data and machines. For business leaders, this shift represents both an opportunity and an imperative to reimagine how their organizations engage with customers and operate internally.

Generative AI Interfaces Are Taking Off

The evidence for this transformation is compelling. Major enterprises across industries are already deploying AI as their primary interface, with remarkable results. Johnson Controls, a global leader in building technologies, has implemented generative AI to interface with its industrial equipment. This innovative approach allows technicians and operators to interact with complex systems through natural language, dramatically reducing the learning curve and improving operational efficiency. Rather than navigating through multiple screens and technical manuals, staff can simply ask questions or give commands in plain English.

S&P Global, the financial intelligence giant, has embraced AI interfaces across its product suite. The company is augmenting or replacing traditional financial terminals and data dashboards with conversational interfaces that allow analysts to query complex datasets, generate reports and analyze market trends through natural language interactions. This transformation has made sophisticated financial tools accessible to a broader range of users while maintaining the depth of functionality needed by experts.

In the insurance sector, Jerry Insurance, a site for comparing insurers, loans and repair costs, has revolutionized customer service by implementing generative AI for chat and text interactions. Customers get faster, better answers, and instead of 100% human processing, now 89% is done by large language models — enabling millions in savings and vastly better scalability. Instead of forcing customers to navigate complex phone trees or web forms, the AI interface handles everything from policy questions to claims processing through natural conversation. This approach has significantly improved customer satisfaction while reducing operational costs.

GenAI Is Moving Us From The Question Economy To The Answer Economy

Market validation for AI interfaces is strong. Research by Pete Blackshaw, CEO of BrandRank.ai, reveals that over 60% of customers are willing to accept product recommendations from AI models. This high level of trust suggests that consumers are not only accepting AI interfaces but actively embracing them. Additional market research indicates that businesses implementing AI interfaces see increased customer engagement and higher satisfaction scores compared to traditional UI approaches.

Three Critical Actions To Take Now

For business leaders, this shift demands action. Here are three critical steps to take:

1. Audit current interfaces (next 90 days): First step — Identify high-friction touchpoints in your current user interfaces that could benefit from AI transformation.
2. Pilot AI interface integration (6-month timeline): First step — Select one customer-facing process for AI interface implementation, prioritizing high-volume, routine interactions.
3. Redesign your approach to customer interactions to realize we now have a dialog among humans and new digital employees who can help, too.

The shift to AI as the primary UI represents more than a technological evolution; it’s a fundamental change in how businesses operate and serve customers. Every product and complex process will have an AI interface. This swarm of AI assistants may live “inside” the product, or you may simply scan a QR code with your phone to access it. In any case, firm with product and processes that aren’t AI enabled will look look as old and dingy as firms that can’t enable web access to shopping and services today. It’s only the beginning because the AI we have today is the dumbest it will ever be, and it’s getting smarter all the time.