← AI writing tells

Interface

AI Design Smells

The layouts, gradients, fonts, and hero treatments AI keeps reaching for when asked to make something look modern. These are not banned patterns. They are defaults that become smells when they replace product thinking.

Gradient Fog

Design

The AI design smell of cyan-violet blur blobs and mesh gradients: atmosphere replacing hierarchy.

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Bento Box Sprawl

Design

The AI design smell where every page becomes a rounded dashboard tile grid, regardless of what the content needs.

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Geometric Sans Monoculture

Design

The AI design smell where one friendly neutral sans, usually Inter-adjacent, is asked to carry the entire brand alone.

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Floating Browser Hero

Design

The AI design smell of the tilted browser mockup hovering over a glow: instant startup polish, weak product explanation.

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