uncanny valley

The “uncanny valley” is that unsettling gap between almost human and human. In UX and product design, it’s the moment when something looks realistic enough to trigger our expectations for real-world behavior, but falls just short, creating discomfort instead of delight. Think avatars with glassy eyes, chatbots with suspiciously human typing pauses, or “realistic” micro interactions that feel off in a way you can’t quite name.