“In 2016 a computer named AlphaGo made headlines for defeating then world champion Lee Sedol at the ancient, popular strategy game Go. The “superhuman” artificial intelligence, developed by Google DeepMind, lost only one of the five rounds to Sedol, generating comparisons to Garry Kasparov’s 1997 chess loss to IBM’s Deep Blue. Go, which involves players facing off by moving black and white pieces called stones with the goal of occupying territory on the game board, had been viewed as a more intractable challenge to a machine opponent than chess” — Scientific American, March 2023.

AlphaGo’s journey from development to victory highlighted several key factors that, in my opinion, truly resonate with UX design principles and underscore the convergence of technology and human intelligence:

1. Neural Networks is actually an Advanced User Research:
AlphaGo relied on deep neural networks to analyze and evaluate potential moves. These networks enabled AlphaGo to recognize patterns and make strategic decisions based on a vast dataset of professional Go games, similar to how UX designers use data-driven insights from research to understand user behavior, preferences and pain points for crafting more intuitive interfaces.

2. Monte Carlo Tree Search mirrors Advanced Prototyping in UX
AlphaGo used the Monte Carlo Tree Search algorithm to simulate various game scenarios and determine the most optimal moves. Similarly, UX designers often employ algorithms to enhance user experiences. For instance, recommendation algorithms in e-commerce platforms provide personalized product suggestions, improving the user’s interaction with the platform. Moreover, UX designers use advanced prototypes with conditionals that simulate different scenarios of user interaction with the interface.

3. Embracing Continuous Learning a.k.a. Iterations in UX
AlphaGo’s ability to improve through continuous self-play and learning from both wins and losses demonstrates a commitment to iterative refinement — an essential aspect of both AI development and UX design. UX designers iterate on user interfaces, driven by usability testing results, to enhance the overall user experience continually.

For me this documentary about AlphaGo’s win in Go reveals the connection between AI and UX design. It shows how AI can enhance human experiences, just like UX design. Together, they promise to improve many areas, where technology compliments human expertise.

Also I can’t pass by Deep Mind’s research case study about this project — a great example of how to present a complex project in a user-friendly manner.