Katy Mogal (Interim Head of UXR at Ring) kicked off her talk at Co-Lab Continued by challenging researchers to consider how AI is redefining—not just reshaping—their profession.

Drawing from her firsthand view of how large organizations are rapidly integrating AI, she outlined the paradox researchers now face: AI can be rocket fuel for strategy work, yet as it democratizes research capabilities across teams, it risks diluting what makes UX uniquely valuable.

Through a compelling analogy to the emergence of photography in art history, Katy encouraged researchers to embrace this transformation as an opportunity to evolve—shifting from operational execution to higher-order, human-centered sensemaking.

She closed by introducing three speakers who embody different visions for this future: Danielle Morrison (on the practical), Lyric Metroplos (on the possible), and Ashton Snook (on the personal). Together, their talks explore what it looks like to move beyond reaction and step into strategic leadership in an AI-transformed world.

Watch the other Unlocking Futures, Cultivating Strategy sessions:

• The Missing Link in UXR Strategy: Organizational Service Design with Danielle Morrison
• Weaving Futures into UXR with Lyric Metroplos
• Creator Mode with Ashton Snook