2026 Prediction
In 2025, we saw an explosion of apps especially frontend-heavy products that looked impressive at first glance but felt interchangeable the moment you used them. When everything can generate a “good enough” UI instantly, it becomes harder for real craftsmanship to stand out. This is where the term AI slop started to stick.
Generating frontends with AI isn’t wrong. In fact, it unlocked a path for many backend developers to finally ship products they would never have built due to lack of interest or comfort with HTML and CSS. Being able to build and ship something “good enough” in 24 hours is powerful but that speed is also what gave generative AI its bad reputation.
My bet is that 2026 swings the other way.
The products that cut through won’t look more complex, they’ll look simpler. Fewer screens. Fewer gradients. Minimalist interfaces as a proof that someone slowed down and designed with intention.
In a world flooded with AI output, restraint stands out.