We ask whether treating AI as a shortcut for user research trades necessary depth for speed, noting that while synthetic users match broad conclusions, they miss the natural variation that reveals edge cases. Rachel Banawa’s work on homogenized AI responses contrasts with Wira Indra Kusuma’s argument that abstracting people into metrics fails to validate their human stories. Meanwhile, we navigate the tension of defining our value in a field where bureaucratic barriers and the fear of premature judgment often overshadow the actual craft.
