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Keep the Poetry

Keep the Poetry is where Tenny Pinheiro writes about how designers stay essential, human, and indispensable in an AI-accelerated world.

We've just had the biggest Q1 ever recorded in startup funding history. Think about it.

We've just had the biggest Q1 ever recorded in startup funding history. Think about it.

May 5, 2026

Q1 2026 just broke all records with $300B poured into AI startups globally.

Creating forced-friction will get you better results with Stitch, Claude Design.

Creating forced-friction will get you better results with Stitch, Claude Design.

April 30, 2026

Creating forced-friction will get you better results with Stitch, Claude Design. Break down your zero to one explorations into (0 -> .5)*n explorations.

Mistaking comfort for conformity. What if the UI canon was inherited noise all along?

Mistaking comfort for conformity. What if the UI canon was inherited noise all along?

April 28, 2026

Maybe modal dialogs are wrong. Maybe forms are wrong. Maybe tabs, breadcrumbs, side nav, settings pages, the entire vocabulary we’ve been treating as physics is actually just a set of conventions we never bothered to re-examine.

The AI code + design space is not a monolith.

The AI code + design space is not a monolith.

April 27, 2026

The AI code + design space is not a monolith. As plans of attack are shaping up, I can see paths emerging. Here's a horizon lookout.

No wedge, no flywheel. Designers are your best wedge finders.

No wedge, no flywheel. Designers are your best wedge finders.

April 24, 2026

We are coming out of an era where the discipline of product became the discipline of picking which feature to build next. Now, we are entering one where build is no longer scarce.

They say AI killed designers. I say: we are about to see the craft explode.

They say AI killed designers. I say: we are about to see the craft explode.

April 23, 2026

They say AI killed designers. I say: we are about to see the craft explode. My thesis, and 4 things to (really) monitor if you are a designer 👇 .

Will type for art.

Will type for art.

April 22, 2026

“Claude Design just killed designers,” said the people who’ve never had to move something 8px to the left.

Designers are builders

Designers are builders

April 21, 2026

Ain't no one a "curator" here (what? 😂). Designers are builders. Fluid UIs are exhibit A.

Teams are underestimating product poetry. Users will not.

Teams are underestimating product poetry. Users will not.

April 20, 2026

AI is forcing teams to optimize designers for speed. The winners will be the ones who keep the poetry.

"The Design Process is Dead". (Jenny Wen, Design Lead Claude).  But, is it though?

"The Design Process is Dead". (Jenny Wen, Design Lead Claude). But, is it though?

April 17, 2026

To say "converge and diverge" is dead, is to literally say lateral thinking is dead. Ok, let's talk about Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 rule, then.

The AI-kills-designers narrative is dead. Service Design matters, more than ever (but, with a catch).

The AI-kills-designers narrative is dead. Service Design matters, more than ever (but, with a catch).

April 16, 2026

The AI-kills-designers narrative is dead. Craft-centric is coming back. And why Service Design matters, more than ever (but, with a catch).

AI produced garbage, is (also) waste. Power is increasing exponentially. Control is lagging. Why this is great for designers?

AI produced garbage, is (also) waste. Power is increasing exponentially. Control is lagging. Why this is great for designers?

April 15, 2026

AI produced garbage, is (also) waste. Power is increasing exponentially. Control is lagging. Why this is great for designers?