Designing Transformative AI Experiences: Lessons from Hash Bajwa

"The most powerful technology doesn’t just solve problems. It inspires people to see what’s possible," says Hash Bajwa.

In Episode 6 of AI Activations, Bajwa reflects on a career spanning the United Nations, Apple, and the Obama Foundation. He shares how organizations can design AI experiences that go beyond efficiency to create measurable impact: empowering employees, delighting customers, and reshaping operations.

From Transactions to Human-Centered Experiences

At Apple, Bajwa helped reimagine the retail store not just as a point of sale, but as a holistic experience. The store itself became a canvas, blending architecture, learning programs, and human interaction. Rather than focusing solely on completing transactions, Apple designed moments that built skills, fostered creativity, and deepened trust between customers and the brand.

"Efficiency is just the starting point," Bajwa explains. "If you stop there, you miss the opportunity to create an impact that resonates with people."

For enterprises deploying AI, the lesson is clear: measure success in outcomes that matter to people. For example, a conversational AI in HR can do more than answer questions — it can guide employees through complex workflows, personalize recommendations, and ensure they feel supported at every step. In customer support, conversational AI integrated with knowledge retrieval can guide employees to the right answer instantly — reducing handle times while ensuring customers feel heard and prioritized.” 

Orchestration Over Isolation

Bajwa describes his creative approach as “orchestration”: coordinating diverse disciplines, tools, and perspectives so the result is greater than the sum of its parts. At Apple, this meant aligning design, engineering, and learning programs to create a seamless customer experience.

In enterprise AI, orchestration is equally critical. “Separate tools only give you efficiency; orchestration gives you transformation,” Bajwa notes. Integrating conversational AI, predictive analytics, and workflow automation allows organizations to create experiences that scale across teams and touchpoints — whether it’s sales reps receiving personalized insights in real time, or customer support agents resolving issues faster with AI guidance. The outcome isn’t just faster work; it’s consistent, reliable, and human-centered experiences across the organization.

Curiosity as a Leadership Advantage

Curiosity, Bajwa argues, is the foundation of creativity and effective AI adoption. He recalls leading pilots at the UN and the Obama Foundation where experimentation revealed unexpected insights, enabling teams to adjust their strategies before full-scale rollout.

"Curiosity isn’t optional," he says. "It’s the currency for leading innovation."

The same mindset applies to generative AI. Leaders who test retrieval-augmented chat or AI-driven summarization in controlled pilots can quickly learn where it accelerates productivity — and where guardrails are needed to avoid risk.”

The Next Frontier: AI Experience (AX)

We’ve moved from user experience (UX) to developer experience (DX). Now comes AI Experience (AX): intentionally designing how people engage with AI.

Bajwa points out that the simple text box became the most disruptive interface of the decade — but the real leap is happening now. Conversational AI infused with generative models is enabling interactions that feel contextual, adaptive, and human in ways scripted systems never could.

For enterprises, that means creating AI experiences which anticipate needs, summarize complex information, and personalize guidance in real time — whether for employees navigating HR workflows or customers seeking support.

Key Takeaways

• Design with intention: prioritize meaningful impact over mere efficiency.
• Orchestrate across systems: integrated AI creates consistent, scalable experiences.
• Lead with curiosity: test, learn, and iterate to avoid hype-driven adoption.
• Focus on AI Experience (AX): human-centered, contextual interactions drive value.