I've been doing this weird thing lately where I map out all my AI agents on a digital whiteboard like some kind of tech-obsessed conspiracy theorist. Chief of Staff Agent here, Content Agent there, Knowledge Hub in the middle, lines connecting everything like I'm solving a heist.
And honestly? It's been one of the most clarifying exercises I've done all year.
Because somewhere between drawing boxes and arrows, I realized something: if my AI Chief of Staff is orchestrating all these agents, what the hell am I doing?
Turns out, I'm the architect. Not of the technical systems—but of the experience. How humans and AI actually work together. How knowledge flows. Where humans need to stay in the loop. How businesses, markets, and people will embrace the technological advancement that we're so eager to build but so few are ready to adopt.
I'm an AXA (AI Experience Architect). And I think it's the role we desperately need but haven't quite named yet.
The Problem With How We're Hiring Right Now
Here's what's broken: Companies are either looking for technical unicorns who can build advanced AI models and systems, or hyper-specific specialists like "5 years of B2B SaaS product design experience, must know Figma shortcuts in your sleep" (too narrow).
Meanwhile, AI is fundamentally changing how work gets done and new markets to shape. People are scrambling, confused, and stuck. And nobody seems to be hiring for that. It's all being dispersed into siloed roles that do a piece of the pie. We're all looking at trees without someone seeing through the forest (and the river next door!)
We're hiring Product Managers who organize what exists. Designers who craft interfaces. Engineers who build systems. But who's connecting all of it? Who's designing how humans and AI agents collaborate? Who's thinking about the experience of working in an AI-native world?
That's the AXA. And if you've been feeling like you're too much of a generalist to fit into rigid job descriptions, congrats—you might already be one.
What Does an AI Experience Architect Actually Do?
Let me give you an example. Say you're working with a creative team drowning in work. Here's the AXA approach:
Step 1: Audit what exists
Map the current workflow. Where are the bottlenecks? What's taking too much time? Where are people frustrated?
Step 2: Strategic assessment
This is where it gets interesting. You're not just asking "can AI do this task?" You're asking:
Where are humans strategically important? (Taste, judgment, ethics, vision—the stuff AI can't replicate)
Where could AI actually help? (Repetitive tasks, synthesis, speed)
What's the ideal division of labor?
Step 3: System design
Design the AI agent architecture. How do agents pass information to each other? Where do humans review? What does the Chief of Staff AI orchestrate? How does the Knowledge Hub capture learnings?
Step 4: Implementation & change management
Here's the part most people skip: This isn't just about tools. It's about getting people to actually adopt new ways of working. It's about shaping a pilot so small but so successful that its impact is undeniable. Stakeholder management. Training. Addressing fears. Making AI feel like a teammate, not a threat.
Step 5: Measure and iterate
Did it work? Are people using it? Is quality improving? Are we capturing learnings for next time?
See the difference? This isn't project management (organizing tasks). This isn't UX design (making interfaces pretty). This is orchestrating an entire AI-native ecosystem where business goals, human needs, AI capabilities, and market realities all connect.
Two Flavors: Internal vs. External
The AXA role shows up in two main ways:
Internal AXA: Helping teams work better with AI
This is for companies trying to catch up and work better. Legacy insurance company wants its sales team using AI? AXA designs the workflow, picks the tools, manages adoption, measures impact. It's about transformation from the inside.
External AXA: Launching new AI products to market
This is for companies trying to innovate. Traditional retailer wants to launch an AI shopping assistant? AXA incubates the idea, designs the product, runs pilots, measures success, scales it. It's about innovation for customers.
Both need someone who can speak multiple languages fluently.
The Multi-Lingual Advantage
Here's why generalists finally have their moment:
An AXA needs to:
Talk like an Engineer: Understand fundamental technical systems, AI architecture, what's actually feasible
Talk like a Designer: Apply experience design principles, ensure things are approachable and not just novel
Talk like a Product Manager: Bridge business and product, align stakeholders, prioritize ruthlessly, convince teams these are good ideas, manage risks, and document the journey for compliance
Talk like a Growth Leader: Take things to market (or to leadership), design pilots, measure, and scale
This isn't "jack of all trades, master of none." This is strategic integrator with 10+ years of depth who can see across systems that specialists can't.
When companies are belt-tightening and looking for that perfect "5-year B2B product designer," they're missing the bigger picture. That narrow specialist can design screens. An AXA can design screens and architect the AI workflow and manage stakeholders and measure business impact and scale it across the company.
It's not about doing everything. It's about connecting the dots in a Beautiful Mind way.
Who Becomes an AXA?
The career path isn't linear, but there's a pattern:
Senior Product Designers who learned systems thinking and business strategy
Product Managers who got deep into design and technical implementation
Founders who built 0-to-1 products and understand the full stack
Service designers with technical chops and business fluency
Innovation consultants who've led digital transformation
Common thread? Entrepreneurial mindset + multiple domain fluency + comfort with complexity
These aren't people trying to dabble in everything. They've gone deep in multiple areas and learned to connect them.
Why This Matters Now
We're in this weird moment where:
AI is changing everything about how work gets done
Companies are tightening budgets and hiring for narrow roles
Adoption rates are flat despite massive AI investment
Nobody's championing the human experience of working with AI
The companies that figure this out first—the ones who hire people to architect AI-native experiences, not just build AI tools—are going to have a massive advantage.
Because here's the thing: Technology without experience design is just expensive automation that nobody uses.
The Provocation
I think traditional PM and Designer roles are going to evolve significantly. Not disappear entirely, but transform. Because in an AI-native world, organizing tasks and designing interfaces isn't enough.
We need people sitting at the center of expanding circles—connecting AI systems, people, business processes, and market needs—who can see how it all fits together and make it feel seamless.
We need AI Experience Architects.
And if you've been feeling like you don't quite fit the rigid job descriptions out there, maybe you're already one. You just didn't know what to call it yet.
So here's my question: Are you already doing this work without the title?
DM me—I'm curious what this role looks like in practice for you.
P.S. If you're a company trying to figure out AI adoption, or a founder building AI-native products, I'm an AXA type - let's talk.