The Death of the Mockup? AI Prototypes vs. Traditional Wireframes

The rise of AI has led many founders to believe that static wireframes are a relic of the past. Why draw a box when an AI can generate a functional UI in seconds? However, AI prototypes won't fully replace wireframes; they change where they sit in the timeline.

Wireframes are for structural thinking—deciding what information exists. AI prototypes are for experiential validation—deciding how a user feels while using it. In this chapter, we explore how to use AI to skip the "drawing" phase and move straight into "interaction," while respecting the distinct role of structural planning.