Phil Gilbert, who transformed IBM into a design-led powerhouse, on what comes after the AI disruption cycle: "The value will come from people who imagine multiple futures, do divergent thinking, and understand users." Designers, that's you.
The true SOTU: “What our society has come to call ‘DEI’ is just the latest embodiment of a project of advancing equality that goes back centuries.” Kenji Yoshino and David Glasgow explain, in no uncertain terms, that DEI is not dead. It’s working.
Designers are slowly shifting to a building-first mindset, says Punit Chawla, writing in Medium. “Which means that a good chunk of UI designers are moving quickly to AI coding platforms to bring their ideas to life.” And that means, Figma is losing value to the design community, he says.
Is design dead at Apple? “I was wrong about macOS 26 – its design is far worse (bit.ly/4b2sp1S) than I first thought.” “The botched Apple Intelligence rollout has to be one of Apple’s most embarrassing debacles (bit.ly/46yEf2t) of the last decade.” Sure, but it comes in red! (bit.ly/4b2qg6z)
America by Design, the initiative helmed by Joe Gebbia, the US government’s first-ever chief design officer, has already launched about ten new websites, mostly focused on Trump-branded stuff. The reports are mixed. (Unless you love golden eagles, golden scrolls, and accessibility issues.)
The independent economy isn’t a side trend, it's a structural shift. @rachelgogel.bsky.social examines how layoffs, generational change, and shrinking institutions are converging into a redefinition of leadership itself.
For Jessica Helfand, artist and co-founder of Design Observer, AI is a research ally in the studio..
In a brand-new Q&A, she discusses a new chapter of her painting practice and shares four diary entries from her most recent series, Icarus Revisited — offering a glimpse into her thinking.
As generative AI spreads, the risk isn’t just bad images or lazy design, it’s the quiet flattening of human thought. When machines do more of the thinking, what happens to human creativity?
A new kind of power is emerging in culture: the identity industrialist. As synthetic humans become lifelike, identity itself can be manufactured, optimized, and scaled. Dave Snyder explores what this means for media, influence, and trust.
Scott Adams, creator of the ‘Dilbert’ comic, has died of prostate cancer. His satirical look at office life struck a gleeful nerve with cubicle-dwellers worldwide; his unfiltered thoughts on race, medicine, government, and conservative theory, less so. He was 68. #Observed
Despite falling short on its nationwide robotaxi rollout and revenue, Tesla’s shareholders continue to hang on for the ride. “I think in the next six months there’s a reckoning coming for Tesla,” says investor Ross Gerber. #Observed
If you have ever flown into the tiny Aspen Airport, you have a clear point of view on what might make the experience… less, how should we put this? Fraught. A survey asking to choose between two possible designs showed a clear winner. #Observed
In a new Design Observer essay, Stephen Mackintosh examines how generative AI is reshaping livestreaming through moderation tools, synthetic Vtubers, and the growing tension between scale, labor, and human presence.
Generative AI promises limitless creativity, but research shows it may be simplifying images, flattening attention, and even reshaping how people understand their own stories. David Z. Morris explores the hidden costs in his new essay.
Studio Ghibli’s Porco Rosso isn’t just a classic, it’s a fierce anti-fascist, antiwar film. In a new Design Observer essay, Dylan Fugel argues why Miyazaki’s message matters now, amid authoritarian politics and the rise of generative AI. Read more on our site.
Do you ever just stop and think about how great Charles Yu's writing is?
Anyway the first chapter of THE EDGE OF SPACE-TIME is called "How to Live Safely in a Science Factual Universe" -- iykyk
Preorder here:
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/746817...
When machines can imitate style, what still makes art human?
As AI enters creative fields, the real question isn’t automation, it’s value. Story, experience, context, and intention still matter.
Graphic promoting the Design Observer Job Board, featuring a Junior Designer opening at Brooklyn Public Library in Brooklyn, New York. Text encourages viewers to explore more opportunities at DesignObserver.com/jobs.
New year. New job? Brooklyn Public Library is looking for a Junior Designer to help bring a beloved public institution to life. See this opening and more at DesignObserver.com/jobs
Design Observer reflects on a year of growth, creativity, and design’s expanding relevance. We also share a holiday gift guide of inspiring books.
New on Design Observer: a look at the long, strange history of coloring our food for beauty, even when the dyes were toxic. From arsenic-green desserts to coal-tar butter, it’s a story about appetite, design, and risk.
Designers shaped the modern web. Now they have the chance to shape the foundation of AI. Openness is becoming the new creative advantage. New essay on Design Observer.
What happens when a nation responds to school shootings not with policy, but with products? In an exclusive interview, the filmmakers behind HBO’s Thoughts & Prayers discuss the strange, chilling world of America’s active-shooter preparedness industry.
Hello, Sans Flex, Google’s new open-source font. It was released under the SIL Open Font License, and designed by type designer and Font Bureau co-founder David Berlow. #Observed
A mostly optimistic indie game end-of-year wrap-up: “In the spirit of the season, one thing I’m thankful for is indie studios being able to make the games they want despite external pressures,” says Engadget’s Kris Holt. #Observed
Chatbots reveal AI’s most exciting application to date: “AI helps drive record $11.8 billion in Black Friday online spending.” #Observed
Looking for inspiration? Give the gift of insight. Discover the best books for designing a better life. Explore our bookshop today!
Meet OpenAI’s other CEO. Fidji Simo, the former CEO of Instacart, manages everything else that Sam Altman doesn’t…which turns out to be quite a bit. #Observed
I left my font in San Francisco. A new font inspired by an old San Francisco municipal streetcar was discovered and resurrected by visiting Australian designer Emily Sneddon who saw “poetic beauty” on the recently retired Breda trains. Meet: Frans Sans. #Observed
