How AI + XR Will Change Product Design Forever — with Oleg Frolov (LIV)

How will AI and XR transform the future of product design? In this episode, I chat with Oleg Frolov — design engineer at LIV — about spatial computing, hand-tracking, mixed reality, and why the next era of interaction design goes far beyond screens, cursors and controllers.We explore Oleg’s project Boxel XR, the future of controller-free input, Quest vs Vision Pro constraints, AI as a learning companion, and why hybrid design engineers will shape the next decade of product craft. We also talk social VR, spatial presence, R&D mindset, prototyping workflows, and what an “XR-native generation” might look like.If you’re a designer wondering whether to invest in XR, Unity, spatial computing or AI skills — this episode offers a grounded, honest and optimistic view of what’s coming next.• How AI accelerates coding + prototyping (without replacing designers)• Why XR interaction design is the real frontier• The future of hand-tracking + body-based interfaces• What LIV does to capture VR + MR experiences• Why design engineers will redefine product quality• Why now is the best moment to enter spatial design00:00 — Introduction01:31 — Boxel XR + voxel editing for VR04:04 — Future of hand-based interaction08:18 — Voice vs hands vs speed11:41 — Finding ideas + R&D mindset15:00 — What is a design engineer?17:08 — Tools: Figma, Blender, Unity, Xcode19:00 — Learning to code with AI support22:06 — AI as “modern Aristotle”23:16 — What LIV actually does26:00 — Gorilla Tag + game friction29:06 — Why social VR feels real31:01 — XR-native generations36:04 — Oleg’s end-to-end process39:20 — Quest vs Vision Pro45:12 — Will AI replace designers?50:03 — Future of design engineering52:03 — Beyond UI vs UX54:01 — Device-agnostic interaction55:38 — XR + smart home convergence59:57 — Muji pens + idea value1:04:12 — Creative + philosophical influences1:06:01 — Storytelling + communication1:12:07 — AI slop + trust in craft1:17:35 — Closing thoughtsIf you enjoy the episode, follow the show and share it with a designer — it really helps the podcast grow.