Breaking into UX Research in the Age of AI
Expert Webinar Series
Hosted by WomenTech Network
January 28, 2026
12:00:00
Virtual Event
We’re excited to welcome Priyanka Kuvalekar as our featured guest speaker!
Priyanka will present “Breaking into UX Research in the Age of AI.” As AI reshapes how products are built, shipped, and scaled, the role of UX Research has never been more critical. Speed is higher, ambiguity is higher, and the cost of getting decisions wrong is higher than ever. In this session, Priyanka demystifies what UX Research really looks like today - and what it takes to break into the field with confidence in an AI-driven product landscape.
Drawing on her experience leading mixed-methods research at Microsoft and working closely with product, design, engineering, and data science teams, Priyanka will share how UXR functions as a strategic discipline - one that de-risks product decisions, grounds teams in real user needs, and directly shapes product strategy, roadmaps, and execution. She’ll also unpack how research fits into real-world product-making, especially in fast-moving AI environments where something can “work” technically but still fail users.
You’ll learn how to:
- Understand UX Research as a strategic function that helps teams prioritize the right problems, define success, and make confident product bets.
- See what day-to-day UXR collaboration really looks like, and how researchers partner with PMs, designers, and engineers to turn insights into shipped outcomes.
- Learn how UX Research plugs into the AI build loop end-to-end - from what to build, to how to build it, to how to evaluate quality, trust, safety, and AI performance.
- Upskill for AI as a UX Researcher, including what you need to understand about AI and how to use AI in your research workflow without losing rigor.
- Walk away with a clear, beginner-friendly path to breaking into UXR today - what to learn, what to practice, and how to package your work to pursue roles with confidence.
Expect a practical, grounded session filled with real-world examples, clear frameworks, and actionable guidance - especially valuable for aspiring UX Researchers, career switchers, and early-career professionals navigating AI-powered product teams.
The event will kick off with a 30-minute keynote from Priyanka, followed by a live Q&A before one-on-one begins.
Hosted By
Agenda
Speakers
Priyanka Kuvalekar
Senior UX Researcher at Microsoft
Priyanka Kuvalekar is a Senior UX Researcher at Microsoft, leading mixed-methods research for Microsoft Teams Calling and Agentic AI experiences. She partners closely with product, design, engineering, and data science to build trustworthy, accessible, and usable communication workflows; ensuring research stays at the forefront and directly influences product strategy, roadmaps, and engineering execution. Across 7+ years, Priyanka has led end-to-end UX research across Microsoft, Cisco Webex, Global Payments and Korn Ferry - partnering with cross-functional teams to strategically influence and shape enterprise collaboration, communication, FinTech and HR experiences Furthermore, she holds a Master of Science in User Experience and Interaction Design and is an accessibility champion, leading research with people with disabilities to ensure products are inclusive, compliant, and usable from the start. Beyond work, Priyanka is deeply passionate about giving back to the tech community. She runs an Instagram blog focused on UX and Product work (@uxr.pri) with 5,000+ followers, where she shares practical, structured guidance for aspiring researchers and UX professionals and talks about the realities of working in high-velocity AI product teams. She was also a speaker at the Grace Hopper Conference 2025, has previously spoken at Women in Tech Global 2024, and she actively mentors aspiring and early-career professionals through ADPList and LinkedIn.
