Design AI Loading and Thinking States
AI Interfaces · ai, loading
Updated 2026-07-28
- Waiting for AI feels different from waiting for a normal page.
- Show meaningful progress:
- What is happening.
- What stage the system is in.
- Avoid fake progress:
- Do not invent percentages without real measurement.
- Use progressive results when possible:
- Show useful output as it becomes available.
- Let users stop or adjust.
- Keep users informed:
- "Generating answer" is better than silence.
- "Analyzing file" is better than a frozen screen.
- The goal is not to hide waiting. It is to make waiting understandable.
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