UX professionals need to reclaim their influence, design with strategic clarity, and stop accepting surface-level work.The decline of UX influence was due to a focus on process over outcomes and obsession with methodologies.The rapid rise in demand for UX professionals led to underprepared designers, creating a credibility problem.The UX feedback loop fractured, with testing becoming validation rather than learning, leading to false confidence.AI technologies are being rolled out without sufficient UX research, impacting user trust and credibility.The erosion of trust in AI and design highlights the importance of transparency, ethical safeguards, and user understanding.Dark patterns and manipulative interfaces are influencing trust negatively, showcasing a lack of user-centric design.Reclaiming UX influence involves being proactive in decision-making, asking better questions, and connecting design to business outcomes.UX design needs to focus on building trust, clear communication, challenging assumptions, and involving stakeholders early in the process.To enhance UX practice, visibility, data-driven narratives, inclusivity, curiosity, and proactive engagement are essential.