With the Webby Awards’ early entry deadline upon us this week, I’ve been thinking about what defines “web excellence” in a year characterized by enormous changes in digital creation. As a returning judge across Websites & Mobile Sites, Apps, Software & Immersive, and AI, I found myself reflecting on how this groundbreaking year shapes my own lens, as a judge.
The digital landscape in 2025 is, on one hand, characterized by exciting innovations in how we create and what we create… and on the other hand marked by an explosion of bots, AI-driven content or “slop”, and a conversation about internet “enshittification”. In this climate, authentic, human-centered experiences stand out for “digital excellence” more than ever. When personal, empathetic, and purposeful digital experiences seem more uncommon, they suddenly feel more precious.
Of course, timeless fundamentals like clarity, utility, and craft still matter, but they’re being reframed by two core themes that stand out in 2025: authentic connection (community and empathy) and meaningful, purpose-driven AI innovation.
Quick disclosure: I recuse myself from any categories where Fueled has entries. Our team has proudly been honored many times over the years, and I leave those evaluations to my peers.
Authentic Connection & Community
In an era of hyper-personalization, chatbots, and LLM-generated content, people crave authenticity and distinct human voices more than ever. Webby-worthy experiences I’ll look for will build genuine connections with their audience.
Empathy in every interaction
Award-worthy products use distinctive tone, character, and timing to feel human. They offer help when a user hesitates, explain errors in plain, kind language, and celebrate small victories (like completing a task or a level) to keep people motivated. Even in micro-moments, such as submitting a form, waiting for a load, or encountering an error, compassionate design that doesn’t feel exceptionally generic or antiseptic shines through. These subtle details “rarely show up in feature lists,” but they make products feel more human.
Smaller communities, bigger impact
We’re also seeing a trend away from “maximalist” platforms toward niche, purpose-built communities. Younger generations are rejecting one-size-fits-all social networks in favor of apps and sites that resonate with specific interests, values, and activities.
For example, one inspiring project we’ve been working on at Fueled involves creating a social app that leverages AI to facilitate more human connection and interaction, including in offline formats. By designing for a tribe instead of the masses, these experiences cultivate a sense of belonging; the kind of authentic connection people long for in a noisy web.
Trust and transparency
Authentic connections are built on trust. In practice, this means being clear about what the product is and isn’t, especially when AI is involved. I’m impressed by teams that clearly label recommendations, cite sources, and explain how features work. For instance, Headspace’s AI companion “Ebb” openly reflects the user’s feelings and even advises when to seek human help, while never pretending to be human itself. By publishing principles and showing where AI fits in the experience, these products earn user trust. When I feel the integrity of a design, from how data is handled to how settings persist, I’m more likely to believe in its promise.
Inclusivity by design
Excellence means everyone can participate. The best entries will have semantic structure, keyboard support, high contrast, adjustable motion, and straightforward language as standard features. This has always been a priority in my assessments, but in a moment when AI has consumed so much developer attention, I’m even more attracted to digital works that still sweat the small details that serve every human with care.
Purposeful AI & Immersion
This is also a year when AI is fueling creativity, but I’m looking for purpose and staying power, not novelty. AI-driven experiences that answer real user needs deserve recognition; digital works that added bells and whistles just because “AI can” … not so much.
Augmentation over theatrics
Our team developed a prototype for a client website that’s home to dense research that enables readers to select text and pose a question right inside the content, without breaking their flow. We didn’t build this just to show off AI. We built it because the nature of the content was well served by supporting readers with quick access to tools that help them unpack and explore complex ideas. When I judge entries, I look for that clean line from intent → interaction → outcome; not just doing something flashy.
Immersion without headsets
This year was also marked by the rise of more“immersive” digital content, as a means to differentiate as AI both drives an explosion of content and empowers creators to build distinctive experiences more cost-effectively.
The browser itself should be a canvas for exploration. One great example is Google’s interactive timeline of AI milestones, which invites you to click around like a map and discover key moments in AI’s history. It’s a reminder that the web can be an explorable space, not just a scrolling document or a platform to sit back and watch a video. By breaking the linear mold, these experiences surprise and engage users in delightful, human ways.
Context-aware by default
The new bar for excellence in UI design is interfaces that adapt effortlessly to each user’s situation: providing fewer taps on the move, offering a graceful offline mode when a connection dips, or unlocking deeper content when it senses the user is settled. It’s not magic; it’s anticipating context and collapsing unnecessary effort to feel dynamic and personal without being creepy. Experiences that pull off seamless, contextual awareness deserve recognition.
Looking Ahead
The late-2025 standard for digital excellence blends imagination, utility, and integrity. Use AI to augment human capability and solve real problems, not just for show. Treat context as a first-class constraint. Sweat the small stuff. Above all, create experiences that are purposeful, heartfelt, and distinctly human.
I’m honored to be a judge for this year’s Webby Awards and can’t wait to see how digital teams in 2025 pushed our medium forward.
Of course, if you want to make an exceptional digital experience, reach out. Fueled partners with organizations to design and build these human-centered, AI-powered experiences that make an impact.
