Rather than being a threat to designers, artificial intelligence will enable them to design “faster and better” say Blond founder James Melia and Harry’s head of design Ryan Dougherty in this video Dezeen produced about their Double Vision exhibition in Milan.
The exhibition was set up as an experiment, pitting traditional industrial design methods against artificial intelligence tools.
“I feel really positive about the outcome,” said Melia in the video interview, which was shot by Dezeen in the exhibition space during Milan design week.
“AI is not going to take your job – AI will enhance it, enable you to design faster, perhaps better, as long as you use the right tools and in the right way,” he said.
“I think that is going to accelerate a lot of our process, and I think it can be used in a way that we can retain as designers, our craftsmanship and creativity.”
Dougherty also downplayed the threat that artificial intelligence poses to designers.
“We are going to continue to need humans in order to make products successful,” said Dougherty. “Without having that perspective, we are missing out on what makes us all different and what makes brands and design teams different.”
For the exhibition, industrial design practice Blond teamed up with grooming brand Harry’s to put artificial intelligence to the test, each setting out to separately design a face steamer.
While the Harry’s team followed established industrial design processes to arrive at their final product, the Blond team used artificial intelligence tools as much as possible.
The two processes were compared and contrasted in the Double Vision exhibition, with each team’s efforts displayed along either side of a concourse in a historic carpentry workshop in the Brera district of Milan.
A series of screens on either side of the room exhibited key aspects of each team’s process, culminating in a physical prototype model.
Finally, visitors were presented with a large-scale diagram displayed on a stage at the end of the room, setting out the results of the experiment.
Blond and Harry’s collaborated to create a methodology map containing a detailed recommendation for using artificial intelligence in industrial design, including indications of the usefulness of varying tools at different stages of the process.
As well as establishing artificial intelligence’s current usefulness in different areas, the methodology map also displays its anticipated future utility.
Melia describes the project as an experiment in the video, which was filmed by Dezeen in the exhibition space during Milan design week.
“We have laid out this experimental testing ground, almost like a laboratory, to determine where AI can be integrated sensitively to retain design craftsmanship,” he said.
According to Melia and Dougherty, the findings of the exhibition neither condemn nor glorify the use of artificial intelligence in the design process.
“We are just at the very beginning stages of understanding how AI might integrate into our design process,” said Ryan. “The conclusion for both teams is that there are aspects of both styles of work that are necessary and beneficial, and having some kind of thoughtful blend of the two is probably the most ideal.”
Double Vision took place during Milan design week from 7 to 13 April 2025. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
Partnership content
This video was produced by Dezeen as part of a partnership with Blond and Harry’s. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
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