#137 Generative UI: Lessons from Google Labs Disco

#137 Generative UI: Lessons from Google Labs Disco

Author: Patricia Reiners December 18, 2025 Duration: 19:34

Generative UI is quietly changing how digital products work — and Google Labs’ experimental browser Disco is a perfect example of that shift.

Not what buttons look like.

But how interfaces are created in the first place.

In this episode of Future of UX, I explore what happens when interfaces are no longer fixed screens, but generated on the fly based on user intent, context, and goals.

Using Disco and its GenTabs feature as a lens, we talk about:

  • why browsing is shifting from search-first to goal-first
  • how UI becomes a temporary, situational response rather than a static artifact
  • and why trust, transparency, and responsibility become core UX challenges in generative systems

This is not a tool review or a hype episode.

It’s a UX-first perspective on what Generative UI signals for designers, product teams, and anyone shaping digital experiences.

If you work in UX, product, or design strategy, this episode will help you understand what’s actually changing and why it matters.


Become part of the conversation:

Please share your thoughts here: Users casually creating their own apps now?

Learn more about disco: here

Jakob Nielsen's newsletter: here


AI for Designers: 5-week Bootcamp 💻 Open Jan 26' 2026

→ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for the ⁠waiting list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



👉 0€ AI mini Training for Designers 👈

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn 3 strategies to leverage gen AI as a designer in just 30 min⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



💌 Newsletter

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Weekly UX insights and updates: UX Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Follow the Future of UX:

🎨 Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Future of UX Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Future of UX Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🍏 Apple Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Future of UX⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

💚 Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Future of UX⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠





Find Patricia on Socials

📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram @ux.patricia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎨 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin Patricia Reiners⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🐦 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter @ux_Patricia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📝 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠My UX Design Blog ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎥 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠




Hosted by designer and researcher Patricia Reiners, Future of UX | Your Design, Tech and User Experience Podcast | AI Design is a series of conversations focused on where user experience is headed next. Each episode moves beyond surface-level trends to examine the real-world implications of technologies reshaping our digital interactions. You’ll hear from a range of experts and practitioners in design and technology as they unpack topics like the ethical considerations of artificial intelligence, the practical applications of augmented and virtual reality, and what evolving platforms mean for interface design. This podcast serves as a thoughtful guide for anyone curious about how the tools and principles of UX are adapting. Rather than offering simple predictions, these discussions aim to provide actionable insights and a deeper understanding of the forces that will define the next generation of user-centered design. Tune in for a nuanced exploration of the craft, its challenges, and its opportunities as it intersects with an accelerating technological landscape.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Future of UX | Your Design, Tech and User Experience Podcast | AI Design
Podcast Episodes
#59 New Internet: 5 Tips Tow to Prepare as a Designer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:47
Resources mentioned ⁠Cale Carnegie - better speaking⁠ ⁠Adam Grant - Think again⁠ Resources: 👉 0€ AI mini Training for Designers 👈 → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn 3 strategies to leverage gen AI as a designer in just 30 min⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💻 ✨Waiting li…
#58 Text-to-Interface AI Tools: Threat or Treat? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:14
Text-to-Interface AI Tools: Threat or Treat? Resources: 👉 0€ AI mini Training for Designers 👈 → ⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn 3 strategies to leverage gen AI as a designer in just 30 min⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💻 ✨Waiting list for the AI Academy: 6-week Bootca…
#57 Generalist vs Specialist - The Future of the UX Unicorn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:19
Resources Mentioned: UX Narrows the Skill gap by Jacob Nielsen Waitinglist AI for Designers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AI for Designers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Weekly UX insights and updates: UX Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find me on Socials 📸 ⁠…
#56 Exploring the Apple Vision Pro's Impact on UX [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:33
Welcome to today’s episode, where we dive into the game-changing Apple Vision Pro. This device is setting new standards in the tech world with its advanced features and the potential to revolutionize user experience desi…
#55 Brain-Computer-Interfaces as a Future Scenario [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:49
A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a technology that creates a direct pathway between a brain and an external device. BCIs can read brain signals and translate them into commands, enabling control over computers, prosth…
#54 AI and User Research: A Deep Dive with Kate Moran [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:24
AI and the Future of User Research: A Deep Dive with Kate Moran Find Kate Moran: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-m-moran/ Resources Mentioned: AI for UX: Getting Started (Article) - https://www.nngroup.com/art…
#53 Top 5 Strategies to Leverage Gen AI as a Designer in 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:26
🔥🔥 Registration for AI for Designer is open 🔥🔥 Sign up for ⁠⁠⁠AI for Designers⁠⁠⁠ Doors close on Tuesday Jan 30, 11:59pm Newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Weekly UX insights and updates: UX Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠
#52 End of Smartphones? The Revolutionary Rabbit R1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:44
Registration for AI for Designer is open ✨ Sign up for ⁠AI for Designers⁠ Doors close on Tuesday Jan 30, 11:59pm 👉 0€ Live Training about ⁠collaborating with AI as a designer⁠ | Jan 24, 6.00pm CET 🔑 Key Learnings: Simpli…
#51 Navigating the Challenges for UX in 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:28
🔥🔥 Registration for AI for Designer is open 🔥🔥 Sign up for ⁠⁠AI for Designers⁠⁠ Doors close on Tuesday Jan 30, 11:59pm Navigating the Top 3 Challenges for UX Designers in 2024 Challenge 1: Tech Recession and UX Job Marke…

«1...678910