AI Chat Interface

Designing a Conversational AI Experience for Cloud Infrastructure

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Company

Pulumi

Role

Sr. UX/UI Designer

Tools

Figma

1. Overview

AI is transforming how users interact with technology—and cloud infrastructure is no exception. In 2023, Pulumi launched Pulumi AI, a generative AI tool designed to help developers solve complex cloud problems using Infrastructure-as-Code. Building on that success, Pulumi introduced Pulumi Copilot, a conversational chat interface integrated into Pulumi Cloud. Copilot empowers users to manage infrastructure, troubleshoot issues, and gain insights using natural language—making cloud workflows faster and more accessible.

My UX Goals:

Design a visually clean, intuitive interface for AI interactions
Maintain consistency with Pulumi Cloud’s existing UI design system
Ensure a seamless, fast user experience while interacting with AI features
Create distinct UI components that would cater specifically to a conversational interface
Enhance usability without disrupting the active dev cycle

2. Pain Points & Opportunities

While Copilot’s core functionality was established, several pain points presented opportunities for design refinement:

Visual appeal: The UI needed a more polished and cohesive look to match the overall Pulumi Cloud aesthetic.
Emerging UI paradigm: Conversational UIs were still new, and there were no established patterns within Pulumi’s design system to guide the project.
Identity: Copilot needed to establish its own identity while staying aligned with Pulumi Cloud’s established design language.
Technical constraints: Changes had to work within the limitations of an active development cycle, ensuring feasibility and alignment with release schedules.

These challenges allowed for a fresh design approach that balanced visual enhancement with functionality.

3. Inspiration

I drew inspiration from both developer-focused and consumer-facing chat UIs, such as Slack and ChatGPT, which provided insights into creating a seamless conversational flow. Additionally, I kept Pulumi’s brand palette and clean design language in mind to ensure Copilot felt like an integrated part of the platform.

Copilot – Dark Theme

Pulumi Copilot - Dark within Pulumi Cloud interface

Copilot – Light Theme

(with noted updates and changes from the alternate Dark Theme)

Pulumi Copilot - Light UI components and guidelines

Copilot Logo Options

After much deliberation, AI Sparkle – Version 2 was chosen as the best representation for the branding.

Pulumi Copilot logo options

4. Broader Context

Pulumi Copilot is part of a broader effort to simplify cloud infrastructure management through AI-powered conversational interfaces. This project aims to provide developers with faster, more efficient workflows, allowing for easy access to cloud insights and management through natural language interactions. Copilot is just the beginning of Pulumi’s journey into AI-driven cloud solutions.

Key Results & Metrics

30% increase in Copilot usage within the first 4 weeks of launch, indicating strong initial adoption.
25% reduction in time-to-resolution for common infrastructure issues, based on user interactions logged through Copilot.
Zero critical usability issues reported during QA testing after implementation of the new UI components.
15% boost in daily active users interacting with Pulumi Cloud’s AI features.

UX Principle Used: Fitt’s Law

Fitts’s Law states that the time required to move to a target is a function of the distance to and size of the target. This principle helped guide the design by ensuring key elements, like the input field and prompts, were large and easily accessible, reducing interaction time and making the interface more intuitive and responsive.