Overview
How might we design message reactions so people can trust and act on AI output?
When this pattern fits
- Perfect for conversational AI interfaces, chat applications, and feedback systems where quick emoji reactions provide lightweight user feedback and engagement.
When to skip or lighten it
- Every message needs detailed rationale for compliance review.
- Reactions would train on PHI or legal advice without consent.
- The UI already has mandatory structured rating on each turn.
States
State model coming soon
Key UX elements
Key UX elements coming soon
Anti-patterns to avoid
Thumbs down with no optional “why” follow-up.
Reactions that disappear after scroll with no persisted signal.
Using reactions as the only support path for harmful output.
Emoji picker that covers the message being rated.
How products use it
| Product | Implementation |
|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Thumbs up/down on assistant messages with optional detail. |
| Claude | Feedback controls on responses for quality tuning. |
| Discord | Emoji reactions on bot messages in servers. |
| Slack | Emoji reactions on app and AI bot replies. |
Implementation
Copy this prompt to generate a production-ready implementation in Cursor, Claude Code, Lovable, or any AI coding agent.
Generate a production-ready implementation of the "Message Reactions" AI interface design pattern.
Pattern Definition:Frequently asked questions
Why add reactions to AI chat?
They capture sentiment in one tap, improving models and giving users a fast way to flag bad answers.
Thumbs only or full emoji set?
Thumbs plus optional emoji is enough for most assistants. Full sets fit social or team chat.
What happens on thumbs down?
Offer optional categories (wrong, unsafe, lazy) and never punish the user for negative signal.
Reactions vs repair contract?
Reactions score the message. Repair contract is an explicit fix flow after a bad answer.