The Feed & The Thread - February 18, 2026

This episode covers Gaurav Ramesh's analysis on how technology can lead to user frustration by stripping autonomy across various realms, Jeff Gothelf’s piece on speeding up product discovery with AI-powered tools like Lovable, and Brad Frost's new 'Jam Sessions.' It also touches on the influx of newcomers in UX research and debates around AI in user data analysis. Additionally, it highlights the free online UX Camp Winter event happening on February 21st. Show Notes In This Episode The challenges users face with technology-driven processes leading to compliance over intelligence. How vibe coding tools like Lovable speed up website design prototyping and testing. Introduction of live biweekly 'Jam Sessions' for AI & Design Systems course community. Articles Mentioned "Getting carried away: When intelligence is replaced by compliance" by Gaurav Ramesh (UX Design.cc) "From debate to demonstration" by Jeff Gothelf "Announcing Live AI & Design Systems Jam Sessions!" by Brad Frost Community Discussions r/uxresearch - Sticky thread for newcomers entering the field and concerns about AI taking over jobs. r/uxdesign - Discussion on designers getting caught up in the AI hype cycle and coping with depression while job hunting. Announcement Chicago Camps is hosting UX Camp Winter on Saturday, February 21st. The event will feature many great presentations and be available online, allowing attendees to participate from anywhere around the world. Tickets are free, but general admission tickets cost $13.50 if within your budget. Get your tickets now at ChicagoCamps.org. About The Feed & The Thread The Feed & The Thread is a daily summary of UX articles found in the industry and some light-touch updates from the UX Community found in online forums. It’s brief, and meant as a light-touch overview of what’s happening across UX.