The truth about UX research for AI (it’s not just about usability) with Priyanka Kuvalekar

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/47II2Ll Episode summary: In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Lija Hogan sits down with Priyanka Kuvalekar, senior UX researcher at Microsoft, to explore how AI is reshaping user experience research and what it takes to build trustworthy, human-centered AI products. Priyanka shares her journey from architecture to UX research and offers a behind-the-scenes look at how she evaluates AI experiences—moving beyond usability to focus on trust, emotional response, and inclusivity. The conversation dives into how researchers can stay strategic in a fast-evolving AI landscape, the growing importance of accessibility and diverse user perspectives, and why trust is the defining factor of great AI experiences. Priyanka also shares practical ways researchers can integrate AI into their workflows, partner more effectively with cross-functional teams, and evolve their skill sets to remain impactful. You’ll learn: Why trust—not just usability—is the foundation of great AI experiences How UX research methods are evolving to measure emotion, behavior, and credibility Ways to evaluate AI outputs for accuracy, consistency, and transparency How researchers can influence product strategy instead of just validating decisions Practical tips for using AI tools to speed up research workflows Why accessibility and inclusive research are critical in AI development How to build AI fluency and stay relevant in a rapidly changing field Resources & links Priyanka Kuvalekar on LinkedIn ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/priyanka-kuvalekar/) Priyanka’s UX content on Instagram ( https://www.instagram.com/uxr.pri/) Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/) Learn more about Insights Unlocked (https://www.usertesting.com/resources/podcast)