Skeuomorphism is a term borrowed from the world of industrial design and now entrenched in the digital world. It represents the practice of modeling new technologies to reflect their more traditional predecessors. It serves to describe new technologies using familiar terms and ideas to catalyze widespread acceptance and assimilation. Without familiar reference points, new technologies may otherwise be too abstract to comprehend.
Rooted in the Greek words 'skeuos' (tool) and 'morphe' (shape), skeuomorphism mirrors its definition in technological design—shaping the unknown in the mold of the known.
Skeuomorphic Thinking Throughout History
In the early days of automobiles, they were playfully termed "horseless carriages" and bore striking resemblances to their horse-drawn predecessors. This design choice was to make the revolutionary new mode of transport more palatable to the public and lessen the psychological leap needed to embrace it. Later, commercial automobiles would eventually evolve into formula one racing, ride-sharing networks, on-demand delivery of food, and other beyond. Each of these advances were unimaginable when automobiles first developed - all that we understood was “horseless carriages.”
Electricity, another game-changing development, followed a similar pattern. The first electric lights were designed to replace gas and oil lamps, mimicking the familiar output of a flame. This strategy of familiarity helped people adapt to the revolutionary technology of electricity, which eventually powered inventions like televisions, refrigerators, and computers. Again, previously unimaginable.
As a final example, the inception of the internet was also a hallmark case of skeuomorphism. Without hyperbole, the internet is easily the most impactful technology of the 20th century. However, its early days would be barely recognizable to the average user today. The early internet was essentially a digital representation of physical libraries or bulletin boards. Early web pages resembled magazines and cookbooks - paper publications from the pre-internet world.
Webpages were static, and were barely interactive. As users amassed and technology progressed, however, the internet morphed into a platform enabling innovations like social media, e-commerce, video streaming, and blockchains—concepts unfathomable in the pre-internet era.
But before any of this, it was merely magazines and cookbooks.
AI Will Impact in Ways We Cannot Predict
Today, we can find the same pattern of skeuomorphism framing our relationship with AI. The story remains consistent—an early, transformative technology that takes the shape of older ideas.
Take, for example, conversational AI systems like Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant. These platforms use language that mimics human conversation, complete with casual language and context comprehension. This creates a sense of familiarity and comfort, minimizing the gap between users and this novel technology.
Another example would be generative art. Applications like OpenAI’s DALL-E made waves early on for its ability to generate realistic pictures from text descriptions. Again, a case of folding the old and familiar (paintings and art) into the new (AI).
Yet, as before, AI is bound to outgrow its skeuomorphic phase of chatbots and picture generators. Automobiles eventually abandoned their carriage design for ride-sharing networks. Films gradually separated from staged plays to develop a unique cinematic language. Similarly, AI will soon transition away from familiar uses, and towards AI-native designs—freeing its potential from the constraints of pre-existing frameworks.
As this tech matures, it will likely become less of a visibly distinct entity and more of a seamless, efficient aide to mankind—enhancing our abilities without demanding our attention. This level of integration could blur the lines between human and artificial intelligence, reshaping our relationship with technology and each other.
