AI 4 UX with John Whalen, PhD

Aaron Cannon, CEO and Co-Founder of Outset, returns to AI 4 UX to show how AI-moderated research is moving beyond listening.
Outset's Visual Intelligence gives the AI moderator eyes: it can observe screen behavior, detect emotional signals, identify friction, and ask follow-up questions based on what participants actually do during a study.
John and Aaron discuss how Outset has evolved over the past two years, how agent-assisted study creation works, why visual observation matters for usability testing, and how research teams can use AI while keeping quality guardrails in place.
Outset is one of the tools featured in our Maven.com course, AI for Customer Research.
This episode covers:
- Visual Intelligence for AI-moderated research- AI-generated study design and agent swarms- Real-time probing based on screen behavior- Emotional signals and usability friction- The say-do gap in research- Context injection, custom moderators, and enterprise guardrails

In this installment of AI for UX, we sit down with Priya Krishnan, Co-Founder & COO of Strella. Priya explains how Strella blends AI and human insight to reinvent how research is conducted, scaled, and shared.
See the tool in action! This interview includes a demo of Strella —watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VX5uFg8iXUE
Learn more about Strella: https://www.strella.io/
Episode Summary: https://www.brilliantexperience.com/blog/fast-flexible-ai-powered-research-at-scale-interview-with-priya-krishnan-strella
“AI for UX” is a space to consider the future of user experience (UX) research with artificial intelligence (AI), brought to you by Brilliant. Join us as we interview leaders and founders of some of the most popular AI tools for UX research. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes in this series!
We at Brilliant wanted to learn and keep up ourselves while creating a series you can trust. We want you to know that Brilliant pays full price for all tools we engage, and no parties are getting paid. This is neutral information designed to help us all to learn together.
About Brilliant Experience: We’re experts in AI-powered research helping research and product teams use AI to generate fast, decision-ready insights. Future-Proof Your Research. Accelerate Your Insights. Learn how at https://brlx.com.

In this installment of AI for UX, we sit down with Avi Yashchin, CEO of Subconscious AI. Avi reveals how simulated experiments and behavior-first modeling are reshaping the future of UX and market research.
See the tool in action! This interview includes a demo of Subconscious AI —watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_7_8sxChraQ
Learn more about Subconscious AI: https://subconscious.ai/
Episode Summary: https://www.brilliantexperience.com/blog/real-research-at-simulated-speed-interview-with-avi-yashchin-subconscious-ai
“AI for UX” is a space to consider the future of user experience (UX) research with artificial intelligence (AI), brought to you by Brilliant. Join us as we interview leaders and founders of some of the most popular AI tools for UX research. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes in this series!
We at Brilliant wanted to learn and keep up ourselves while creating a series you can trust. We want you to know that Brilliant pays full price for all tools we engage, and no parties are getting paid. This is neutral information designed to help us all to learn together.
About Brilliant Experience: We’re experts in AI-powered research helping research and product teams use AI to generate fast, decision-ready insights. Future-Proof Your Research. Accelerate Your Insights. Learn how at https://brlx.com.

In this installment of AI for UX, we sit down with Mike Taylor, CEO & Co-Founder of Ask Rally. Mike Taylor shares how Ask Rally empowers teams to simulate research using synthetic users grounded in real data.
See the tool in action! This interview includes a demo of Ask Rally —watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3zWoM7pcg2w
Learn more about Ask Rally: https://askrally.com/
Episode Summary: https://www.brilliantexperience.com/blog/grounded-ai-personas-that-grow-with-you-interview-with-mike-taylor-ask-rally
“AI for UX” is a space to consider the future of user experience (UX) research with artificial intelligence (AI), brought to you by Brilliant. Join us as we interview leaders and founders of some of the most popular AI tools for UX research. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes in this series!
We at Brilliant wanted to learn and keep up ourselves while creating a series you can trust. We want you to know that Brilliant pays full price for all tools we engage, and no parties are getting paid. This is neutral information designed to help us all to learn together.
About Brilliant Experience: We’re experts in AI-powered research helping research and product teams use AI to generate fast, decision-ready insights. Future-Proof Your Research. Accelerate Your Insights. Learn how at https://brlx.com.

In this installment of AI for UX, we sit down with Jo Widawski, Founder and CEO of Maze. Jo shares how Maze’s new AI moderator is transforming research from a bottleneck into an engine of strategic influence.
See the tool in action! This interview includes a demo of Maze —watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GEJov2eHIsQ
Since the time of recording, Maze’s AI moderator has launched publicly with a full rebrand and expanded functionality. Learn more about Maze: https://maze.co/
Episode Summary: https://www.brilliantexperience.com/blog/scaling-research-influence-in-the-age-of-ai-interview-with-jo-widawski-maze
“AI for UX” is a space to consider the future of user experience (UX) research with artificial intelligence (AI), brought to you by Brilliant. Join us as we interview leaders and founders of some of the most popular AI tools for UX research. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes in this series!
We at Brilliant wanted to learn and keep up ourselves while creating a series you can trust. We want you to know that Brilliant pays full price for all tools we engage, and no parties are getting paid. This is neutral information designed to help us all to learn together.
About Brilliant Experience: We’re experts in AI-powered research helping research and product teams use AI to generate fast, decision-ready insights. Future-Proof Your Research. Accelerate Your Insights. Learn how at https://brlx.com.

Join my Maven course, AI for Customer Research: https://maven.com/john-whalen/
In this installment of AI for UX, we sit down with Ned Dwyer, Co-Founder and CEO of Great Question. Ned shares how AI is reshaping UX research through trustworthy insights, scalable moderation, and a new role for researchers as orchestrators.
See the tool in action! This interview includes a demo of Great Question —watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/H5RF7SIjpz8
Learn more about Great Question: https://greatquestion.co/
Episode Summary: https://www.brilliantexperience.com/blog/a-new-role-for-researchers-as-orchestrators-interview-with-ned-dwyer-great-question
“AI for UX” is a space to consider the future of user experience (UX) research with artificial intelligence (AI), brought to you by Brilliant. Join us as we interview leaders and founders of some of the most popular AI tools for UX research. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes in this series!
We at Brilliant wanted to learn and keep up ourselves while creating a series you can trust. We want you to know that Brilliant pays full price for all tools we engage, and no parties are getting paid. This is neutral information designed to help us all to learn together.
About Brilliant Experience: Navigate the Mind, Lead the Market. With our AI-powered, psychology-led research, you can make informed decisions quickly—whether it’s about your customers, market, or product. Learn how at https://brlx.com.

Join my Maven course, AI for Customer Research: https://maven.com/john-whalen/
In this installment of AI for UX, we sit down with Prajwal Paudyal, Founder and CEOs of Qualz.ai. Prajwal discusses how AI can turn research from a slow, biased process into a fast, nuanced, and continuous part of product discovery.
See the tool in action! This interview includes a demo of Qualz —watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5HIy55YPvWU
Learn more about  Qualz.ai: https://qualz.ai/
Episode Summary: https://www.brilliantexperience.com/blog/ai-that-transforms-the-entire-ux-research-workflow-interview-with-prajwal-paudyal-qualzai
“AI for UX” is a space to consider the future of user experience (UX) research with artificial intelligence (AI), brought to you by Brilliant. Join us as we interview leaders and founders of some of the most popular AI tools for UX research. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes in this series!
We at Brilliant wanted to learn and keep up ourselves while creating a series you can trust. We want you to know that Brilliant pays full price for all tools we engage, and no parties are getting paid. This is neutral information designed to help us all to learn together.
About Brilliant Experience: Navigate the Mind, Lead the Market. With our AI-powered, psychology-led research, you can make informed decisions quickly—whether it’s about your customers, market, or product. Learn how at https://brlx.com.

Join my Maven course, AI for Customer Research: https://maven.com/john-whalen/
In this installment of AI for UX, we sit down with Sergio Perdices, Co-Founder and CEO of Whyser. Sergio shares how Whyser enables richer, faster, and more inclusive UX research by combining AI voice interviews with structured insight validation.
See the tool in action! This interview includes a demo of Whyser —watch the video version on YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ofgtezvrG9M&t=6s
Learn more about Whyser: https://www.whyser.ai/
👉 Try the study experience yourself: https://app.whyser.ai/call/KAlze0cPYnRbf8qLFbMu/LxxpBfjTQQuqHNNaj5gC
Episode Summary: https://www.brilliantexperience.com/blog/ai-interviews-real-human-insight-interview-with-sergio-perdices-whysernbsp
“AI for UX” is a space to consider the future of user experience (UX) research with artificial intelligence (AI), brought to you by Brilliant. Join us as we interview leaders and founders of some of the most popular AI tools for UX research. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes in this series!
We at Brilliant wanted to learn and keep up ourselves while creating a series you can trust. We want you to know that Brilliant pays full price for all tools we engage, and no parties are getting paid. This is neutral information designed to help us all to learn together.
About Brilliant Experience: Navigate the Mind, Lead the Market. With our AI-powered, psychology-led research, you can make informed decisions quickly—whether it’s about your customers, market, or product. Learn how at https://brlx.com.

Join my Maven course, AI for Customer Research: https://maven.com/john-whalen/
In this installment of AI for UX, we sit down with Philip Brook, Co-Founder of Voiceform. We discuss how AI can make surveys more interactive, enabling researchers to quickly analyze data and summarize participant responses and follow up on those responses to gather deeper insights.
See the tool in action! This interview includes a demo of Voiceform —watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BaBqW2TCZ_Q
Learn more about Voiceform: https://www.voiceform.com/
Episode Summary: https://www.brilliantexperience.com/blog/ai-meets-ux-enhancing-surveys-with-voice-interview-with-philip-brook-voiceform
“AI for UX” is a space to consider the future of user experience (UX) research with artificial intelligence (AI), brought to you by Brilliant. Join us as we interview leaders and founders of some of the most popular AI tools for UX research. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes in this series!
We at Brilliant wanted to learn and keep up ourselves while creating a series you can trust. We want you to know that Brilliant pays full price for all tools we engage, and no parties are getting paid. This is neutral information designed to help us all to learn together.
About Brilliant Experience: Navigate the Mind, Lead the Market. With our AI-powered, psychology-led research, you can make informed decisions quickly—whether it’s about your customers, market, or product. Learn how at https://brlx.com.

Join my Maven course, AI for Customer Research: https://maven.com/john-whalen/
In this installment of AI for UX, we sit down with Alok Jain, CEO of Reveal. He discusses how AI can streamline the data analysis process and provide verification mechanisms that make it easier for researchers – and product teams – to trust AI-generated insights. 
See the tool in action! This interview includes a demo of Reveal —watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mp-rAWY_4Wg
Learn more about Wondering: https://doreveal.com/
Episode Summary: https://www.brilliantexperience.com/blog/the-future-of-ux-research-ai-powered-cohorts-comparative-analysis-amp-insights-interview-with-alok-jain-reveal
“AI for UX” is a space to consider the future of user experience (UX) research with artificial intelligence (AI), brought to you by Brilliant. Join us as we interview leaders and founders of some of the most popular AI tools for UX research. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes in this series!
We at Brilliant wanted to learn and keep up ourselves while creating a series you can trust. We want you to know that Brilliant pays full price for all tools we engage, and no parties are getting paid. This is neutral information designed to help us all to learn together.
About Brilliant Experience: Navigate the Mind, Lead the Market. With our AI-powered, psychology-led research, you can make informed decisions quickly—whether it’s about your customers, market, or product. Learn how at https://brlx.com.