Which UX/UI principles really matter for software in 2025?

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about UX/UI in software projects. On paper, we know what makes a product “usable,” but in reality teams often get stuck too much research, polished mockups, endless debates and shipping slows down.

Now with tools like Figma AI and Lovable doing wireframes and specs in seconds, I can’t help but wonder:

Which UX/UI principles actually matter most in 2025?
How do you decide when to research vs. just ship?
And do you think AI is going to replace junior PMs/designers, or just act as a helper?

Would love to hear how others here are handling this balance.