Generative UIs Need Explicit Action Contracts

Generative user interfaces turn an AI response into an operable application. OpenAI is rolling out GPT-6 in ChatGPT with “Intelligent UI”: the system can present information not only as text, but as an interactive visualisation or workspace. That changes the control question.

When an answer gains buttons

A summary is passive. A form, filter, or button can change state: save data, start a workflow, or submit a decision. Enterprises must therefore separate presentation from authority. A model may display a plausible action without being authorised to execute it.

Google takes a deliberately separated approach with A2UI. The agent sends a declarative description of the interface it wants. The client renders that description using known, trusted components instead of accepting arbitrary executable code from the agent. This reduces the attack surface and allows the application to retain control over design, platform rules, and available components.

The interface needs an action contract

Every generated interaction in a production system should meet a predefined contract:

Component: Which forms, charts, and controls may the agent request?
State: Which data source is authoritative, and how does the UI detect stale information?
Action: Which API call sits behind a button, using which identity and permission scope?
Approval: Which changes require a preview, confirmation, or four-eyes review?
Repetition: How are duplicate bookings or tickets prevented after reloads, timeouts, or repeated clicks?
Evidence: Which input, model version, UI structure, and action must remain auditable?

Accessibility also belongs in the renderer, not in a prompt. Keyboard navigation, focus order, contrast, and understandable labels should be enforced through tested components and automated checks.

What DACH enterprises should prepare

Start with read-only interfaces: comparisons, filters, charts, and drafts. Write actions should initially require an explicit preview and human confirmation. Security, the business owner, and UX must jointly define which components and actions are allowed in each process.

The principle is simple: the interface may be generated, but the authority behind it must remain hard-wired.