I am a technology and internet enthusiast, always on the lookout for new experiences. I consider myself a "superuser" because my curiosity drives me to try almost every product or service I come across, especially those with a free version. I’m curious if they can make even a minor difference in my daily work or personal routine. Usually, I don't aim to be a long-term top customer for these services or products; I just love to try them. And there is one more thing… I often become a demanding customer.

Sometimes I decide to upgrade (you need to try some super cool features right?), the tech support email becomes my favorite email. I want to know how much the support is ready to discuss with me the hard questions. Consider it a sort of passion to test and experiment, aiming to fully understand the potential of each tool and assess how they can transform and innovate everyday life, not just mine.

I am incredibly optimistic about the potential of many ideas in technology. I often imagine myself as a product creator, considering how I would want someone like me to test and evaluate my product. Even if a particular app or service might not be useful to me in the long term, I can confidently say that I have provided valuable feedback to several early-stage companies. I have pushed their limits, explored their offerings, and sometimes, when revisiting an app months later, I have noticed that they implemented a feature I suggested. It might not be all because of me, but I like to think that my small contribution, perhaps that first input that inspired countless discussions and plans among the founders, played a role in their development.

Among the various services I try, some end up becoming my favorites. I use them every day, turning me into a loyal customer. These services stand out for three key reasons:

• They meet a specific need, helping me solve a problem or make it less burdensome.

• The registration process is smooth and hassle-free, taking little time to transition from not knowing the product to being ready for onboarding.

• Adopting the service has a minimal friction or, even if it's the most complex tool in the world, it is user-friendly and accessible. While not everything can be made simple, there is always a way to simplify and make the user experience more enjoyable and engaging. It’s just a matter of efforts.

Three points that I don’t believe belong only to me. I suppose they are the foundation of good product development practices.

What exactly are frictions?

Time is the most valuable and limited resource we all have. Being able to save time at every stage of interacting with a service — from sign-up and onboarding to daily use — is crucial. If a service allows you to optimize your time, it will make you truly happy. This means that an effective product must not only be useful and meet a need, but it must also be quick and intuitive, minimizing the time required to learn how to use it and incorporate it into the daily routine. In short, timesaving is a key factor that significantly influences the appreciation and loyalty towards a service or product.

If you are a superuser like me, you should have a very low tolerance for frictions, which are any obstacles that stand between you and using a product you want to try. Frictions involve the various steps and procedures a user must undertake from the initial product discovery to becoming an engaged user who actively uses the product. Frictions can appear as lengthy and complicated registration processes, unclear onboarding steps, a non-intuitive user interface, or any other aspect that slows down or complicates the journey to effectively using the product. Eliminating these frictions is crucial for a positive and satisfying user experience.

Not only does friction occur in the initial phase of acquiring a new user, but it also extends to daily product usage. This type of frictions can include difficulties in accessing specific features, slow or complicated processes to get help from tech support, or handling complex technical issues. It's important to note that in an enterprise context, reducing frictions becomes even more challenging. Larger companies often have more complex processes, stricter security and compliance requirements, and a wider range of user needs, which can make simplifying the user experience more difficult.

The hard truth is frictions can make a big difference in the success of a product or service. For acquiring new users, a process with fewer frictions means an easier time attracting and keeping these users. A smooth, minimal friction acquisition process encourages users to continue using the product, increasing the likelihood that they will become loyal and active customers. Frictions, such as lengthy and complicated registration procedures, confusing onboarding, or frequent technical issues, can discourage users and lead them to abandon the product before fully adopting it. In summary, reducing frictions not only improves the user experience but is also a crucial factor in increasing new user acquisition and long-term product success.

Take this newsletter as an example. If you're reading this, it means you're already subscribed and reading it as an email, or you're on my website. In the latter case, you have the choice to either subscribe or leave (though I advise against leaving).

Here, the subscription process has been as simple and minimal friction as possible: just enter your email in a simple box, click the subscription button, and you're done. You're subscribed! This ease results from a deliberate effort to minimize frictions, making the subscription process quick, intuitive, and obstacle-free, encouraging as many people as possible to join and stay updated with the newsletter's content.

But frictions play a crucial role not only in the product creation phase but also in the adoption of technology by users. Let’s try now to enrich the context of friction to not just the product but to the technology.

Frictions and AI

My reflections on frictions and the importance of user experience led me to consider the impact of Generative AI, one of the most revolutionary technologies of our time. AI is not just an example of technological innovation, but it also represents a significant shift in how we interact with technology in our daily lives. Overcoming frictions is necessary for the adoption of new technologies, and no single entity can eliminate these frictions. It’s the progress that day by day reduce, simplifies and, sometimes, create the frictions. Thus, we should inquire about the actions that can be taken to reduce those frictions to a minimum.

Reduce the frictions to use Generative AI and so use Generative AI, will be crucial for the success and widespread adoption of the technology, not just from a technical point of view but also from the side of ethic, compliance and social responsibility.

Reflecting on the category of consumer-oriented Generative AIs, like ChatGPT, it's clear that these technologies have already improved certain aspects of our daily lives and work. Microsoft 365 Copilot is a great example of how Generative AI could stay at our side, helping us to achieve some tedious tasks.

For instance, considering how challenging it used to be to find a suitable image for a presentation, we can appreciate the advancements these innovations have brought. However, despite the progress, Generative AI has not yet led to the creation of a broad and established cluster of companies using this technology to offer services to consumer clients.

At present, applications in this sector are still limited, with only a few pioneering initiatives exploring the possibilities of Generative AI. I’m sure that in the future, we will see a significant expansion in this area, with an increasing number of companies leveraging Generative AI to innovate and offer new services to consumers. Right now, this is the beginning of a journey, and there are still many opportunities to explore and develop.

In large enterprises, the use of Generative AI plays a different role compared with the consumer sector. Currently, Generative AI is bringing substantial benefits to large companies that are adopting it, revolutionizing their business processes. In this area, there are significant improvements, although frequently, the adoption is currently driven by experimental purposes. The rationale driving these large companies is straightforward: if Generative AI can simplify business processes, why not use it? Why not at least try it?

This openness to innovation is allowing companies to leverage the potential of Generative AI and other emerging technologies to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and competitiveness. Generative AI is becoming a key element in the digital transformation strategies of large enterprises, pushing them to explore new ways of working and creating value. Something they are talking about (not necessarily in the earning calls yet).

I am convinced that Generative AI is just at the beginning of its real potential. Like all technologies, it needs time to spread widely, to enter homes, computers, and smartphones. A key factor influencing this diffusion is, as you can image, frictions. It's not just operational frictions, but also societal contexts and technological limitations that can cause issues. These frictions can include a lack of knowledge or understanding of the technology by the public, concerns about privacy and security, and the need for more robust and accessible technological infrastructures.

Overcoming these frictions requires not just technological innovations but also a change in how society perceives and accepts these new technologies. Overcoming these barriers will enable Generative AI to fully realize its potential, transforming not just the tech industry but many other aspects of everyday life.

The ease with which enterprises can fully leverage Generative AI (and AI) compared to the consumer sector is largely because of frictions. Enterprises have a wider range of use cases, will invest more financial resources, and have the capabilities and resources needed to develop custom solutions. In the consumer world, tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Midjourney have made significant strides in democratizing AI. Furthermore, Microsoft Copilot is now available to the consumer public, allowing access to this technology beyond the corporate context. But we are still at the beginning of this journey. Some frictions have been overcome, but others will emerge as these technologies strengthen and spread. The process of making AI more accessible and understandable to the general public is ongoing, and addressing these new challenges will be crucial to ensure that Generative AI can be effectively and beneficially used by a broader audience.

Indeed, the central issue is reducing frictions. By minimizing obstacles, we can make technology easier, more immediate, and more effective, making it more democratic. We can't control every aspect of this process. It's not just about acquiring new users but facilitating the adoption of a technology. Therefore, new ideas, opinions, and most importantly, practical uses are welcome.

The greater the usage of a technology, the greater the potential for uncovering new and unforeseen uses, as well as understanding its true future impact. Widespread and experimental use of technology spurs innovation and provides valuable data to refine and further improve existing solutions. In this way, it is possible to continue to explore and exploit the potential of emerging technologies, like Generative AI, and use them to positively transform lives. Breaking down frictions and barriers is a key strategy for opening the doors to the future.