A litmus test for the utility of AI features
AI features are everywhere, but most are useless. The author proposes a simple rule: the utility of an AI feature is inversely proportional to the screen space devoted to invoking it. Big pop-ups and multiple buttons indicate uselessness, while a single hidden button suggests usefulness. Adobe Acrobat serves as an example.
AI features are ubiquitous these days. From Word to Notepad, Photoshop to MS paint, Slack to WhatsApp (why?) every single app seems to be crammed full of AI features. Some features are genuinely useful. Most are not. Lately, I've been finding myself wondering, how do I tell them apart? Should I just ignore all of it like a Luddite? Or should I embrace it all, and spend my days wading through AI features? Is there no easy way to figure out how useful an AI feature is?
after months of searching, I'm happy to announce that I've got it: The one surefire, guaranteed, "SaaS companies hate this one-little trick" rule for any platform: "The utility of an AI feature is inversely proportional to the amount of screen real-estate a developer devotes to invoking it". Big pop-ups, multiple buttons, floating chat windows and annoying banners? Useless. A single button hidden away in the UI? Useful. It's as simple as that. Let me illustrate my point with Adobe acrobat, a tool I've been using for decades.
The default page you're greeted with when you open a PDF in Adobe acrobat.