Instagram’s AI-Driven Aesthetic Shake-Up

Good morning, folks. I’ve been reading up on the latest from Instagram and it seems that our beloved platform is having an identity crisis—courtesy of AI. Instagram head Adam Mosseri recently argued that the once-loved, perfectly curated feed is now passé. He’s noted that users, especially those under 25, prefer raw, unfiltered snapshots over the glossy grid we once cherished. You can read more about his thoughts in this original post.

This pivot is fascinating from a UX perspective. As designers, we often obsess over pixel-perfect presentations, but Mosseri’s insights remind us that authenticity might trump polish in the digital age. The move towards authenticity (and even cryptographically signed images to confirm genuineness) hints at a shift where trust is built on realness rather than perfection. It’s a good reminder for our design processes: sometimes, less is more.

Next-Gen AI Tools in Digital Product Design

Switching gears, I’ve also been following developments in AI tools that promise to change our design workflow. Nebius Token Factory just launched its Post-training solution, enabling teams to fine-tune models like DeepSeek V3 and GPT-OSS 20B with ease. This tool is designed to adapt models to your specific domain and workflow, making it a potential game-changer for creating bespoke AI-driven products. Check out the details on their Post-training launch page.

Alongside this, DeepSeek has hinted at a new model architecture aimed at better efficiency and stability. Their research paper (available on arXiv) breaks down some intriguing techniques for scaling neural networks with minimal extra cost. And while we’re on the topic, there’s now a handy Codex tutorial that guides you through using AI agents to update code on GitHub—pretty neat if you’re looking to automate parts of your design toolchain.

Audio Innovations and the Future of AI Connectivity

Lastly, let’s take a peek at what’s happening on the hardware side of things. OpenAI is giving its audio models a major overhaul to support a new voice-first device anticipated in the near future. According to reports in The Information, the revamped audio AI is expected to handle mid-conversation inputs without missing a beat—a development that could revolutionise not only personal devices but also how we interact with digital products.

For us in the design world, these kinds of innovations are a sign that the line between digital and physical product design is blurring. Whether it’s rethinking UX in a world where visuals give way to voices, or harnessing AI to tailor our creative processes, it’s an exciting time to be part of this ever-evolving landscape.