Traditional static web interfaces—while reliable for decades—are increasingly inadequate for the dynamic, adaptive nature of AI-powered applications. In a previous post, Rethinking UX: Emerging Interfaces for the AI Age, we explored key principles that define modern AI interface design, including:

• Visual Feedback
• Latency Management
• Adaptability
• Trust Through Transparency
• Voice and Multimodal Interfaces
• Keyboard Shortcuts
• Balancing Quality and Speed
• Human-in-the-Loop Design

In this case study, we’ll show how these principles came to life in the redesign of LiveCart, a WebRTC-based live commerce platform enhanced with AI assistants.

The Design Challenge

LiveCart presented two unique design challenges:

1. Facilitating transactional interactions rather than just conversations, requiring e-commerce functionalities to be seamlessly integrated into a real-time video experience
2. Managing both human seller controls and AI Bot Avatar interactions within a unified interface

Our Solution: Multimodal, Adaptive Interface

The redesigned LiveCart interface employs several key innovations:

Visual Feedback System

We implemented subtle visual indicators that show when the AI is processing a buyer’s question, helping to establish a rhythm to the conversation that feels natural. For sellers, we created a dashboard that shows AI activity in real-time, allowing them to monitor and intervene when necessary.

Latency Optimization

To create a seamless experience that feels responsive and natural, we’ve implemented a comprehensive approach to managing latency:

Visual Status Indicators

We’ve added prominent status labels directly on the avatar container that provide instant feedback about the AI’s current state. Users can see at a glance whether the bot is “Ready to Sell,” “Thinking,” or “Talking” – eliminating uncertainty about what’s happening behind the scenes. These real-time status updates bridge the gap between user action and AI response, significantly reducing the perception of latency.

Technical Optimizations 

Behind the scenes, we’ve:

• Fine-tuned our WebRTC implementation to minimize video streaming delays
• Pre-loaded common product information and responses for the AI assistant
• Implemented a hybrid processing approach that handles simple queries locally while routing more complex questions to our backend

The combination of these visual cues and technical optimizations creates an experience that feels consistently responsive, even when complex processing is happening in the background. By managing the user’s expectations through clear status indicators, we’ve transformed potential waiting time into a transparent part of the conversation flow.

Transparency Features

When the AI assistant provides information about a product, it clearly indicates whether that information comes from the seller’s description, manufacturer specifications, or crowd-sourced reviews. This transparency helps buyers make informed decisions and builds confidence in the platform.

Multimodal Interaction

LiveCart breaks free from single-mode communication by offering multiple ways for participants to engage with the platform and each other. Our interface seamlessly integrates three key interaction methods:

• Text Chat: Buyers can send text messages that appear in a dedicated sidebar, allowing for discrete questions or comments without interrupting the live demonstration. Sellers and AI assistants can respond via text, creating a parallel conversation channel that complements the video stream.
• Click-to-Buy Actions: We’ve embedded direct purchase capabilities directly into the viewing experience. As products are showcased, interactive elements appear that allow buyers to add items to cart, save for later, or request more information with a single click—no need to navigate away from the live stream.
• Real-Time Captions: All spoken content is automatically transcribed and displayed as captions, making the experience accessible to more users and providing visual confirmation of what’s being said. These captions serve multiple purposes: they improve accessibility, provide confirmation of AI understanding, and create a searchable record of the session.

This multimodal approach ensures that buyers can interact in whatever way feels most natural at any given moment, whether they’re in a quiet environment where voice interaction works best, in a public space where text is more appropriate, or simply prefer the efficiency of direct click actions for transactions.

Keyboard Shortcuts System

We implemented consistent keyboard shortcuts that work across our platform:

LiveCart’s keyboard shortcuts put AI control at your fingertips, allowing seamless management without disrupting the customer experience:

• ⌘M: Mute – Gracefully stops the AI bot mid-sentence when you need to take over the conversation
• ⌘A: Ask – Instantly prepares the bot to answer a customer question, perfect for complex product details
• ⌘C: Correct – Subtly intervenes when the AI provides incorrect information, maintaining customer trust
• ⌘L: Monitor – Opens a discreet activity log to review recent bot interactions and performance

These shortcuts enable sellers to maintain perfect control while appearing seamless to customers – no fumbling through menus or awkward pauses when you need to guide your AI assistant.

Human-AI Collaboration

Perhaps most importantly, LiveCart is designed around a human-in-the-loop approach:

1. Human sellers provide the authentic, personal touch that builds trust
2. AI assists by handling routine questions, surfacing relevant product details, and managing the technical aspects of the broadcast
3. Buyers can choose how much they want to interact with either the human seller or the AI assistant

This balanced approach ensures that the technology enhances rather than replaces the human connection that makes live selling effective.

Conclusion: Where AI Interface Design Is Heading

The future of AI interfaces isn’t about chatbots or voice assistants as separate entities from traditional interfaces—it’s about blending these technologies seamlessly into unified experiences that feel natural and responsive.

As we’ve learned through our work on LiveCart, successful AI interfaces will:

• Combine multiple interaction modalities that complement each other
• Adapt to user preferences and contexts in real time
• Provide transparency that builds trust
• Balance quality and speed based on user needs
• Keep humans meaningfully in the loop

The next generation of interfaces won’t be defined by how they look, but by how effectively they facilitate meaningful interactions between people, with AI as the enabler rather than the focus.

If you’re interested in exploring how AI-enhanced interfaces like LiveCart could transform your business’s approach to customer engagement, reach out to our team at WebRTC.ventures. We’re passionate about building the future of interactive experiences that put human connection first.