AI Agents Need Standards and Human Context

Designer Skyler Westby argues that taste is simply knowing what’s good, what’s bad and being able to explain why. Most people treat it as something instinctive, but Skyler thinks you can write those judgements down. Once you do, an AI agent can read them and use them to guide its work.

That still leaves the question of whether the work is worth doing in the first place. AI agents are enthusiastic builders, often encouraging ideas that probably shouldn’t exist. Skyler argues that good judgement comes from practicing a craft, appreciating art and spending time with other people. Those experiences help develop the taste and wisdom needed to know when an agent’s suggestion is a bad one.

Taste also depends on the occasion. A Speedo is perfectly acceptable at the beach, but probably not at a wedding. The same principle applies to design. Sometimes the right decision is to introduce something new, while other times it’s better to follow convention. Knowing how far to push an idea, and when to pull back, is something Skyler believes still requires human judgement.