Artificial intelligence is increasingly turning to serif fonts like Times New Roman to signal a human touch, according to designers and critics. The shift comes as public skepticism toward AI grows, with some calling the trend 'tasteslop'—a term for superficial design choices meant to mimic sophistication. Serif fonts, rooted in calligraphy, are seen as more trustworthy and human compared to the clean, computerized sans serifs commonly associated with AI.
Designers like Keya Vadgama argue that serif fonts help AI companies build trust with users. 'Serifs connote a very human, fluid way of making letterforms,' Vadgama told WIRED. She noted that AI companies such as Anthropic, Perplexity, and Manus have adopted similar typefaces in their branding and user interfaces. Perplexity's chief communications officer, Jesse Dwyer, said the choice reflects the company's focus on human users. 'Why wouldn't we have human design? Perplexity is for people,' he said.
The use of serif fonts also taps into historical and cultural associations with authority and scholarship. Times New Roman, originally commissioned in the 1930s by the British newspaper The Times, is often linked with books, newspapers, and authoritative knowledge. Ali S. Qadeer, a graphic design professor, said the trend is a response to AI's perceived lack of soul. 'The sterile look of tech that has dominated for the past 20 years has increasingly negative connotations,' he said. The shift is part of a broader effort to rebrand AI as more approachable and trustworthy.
Source: wired
