Summary
Asking after the dynamics of artificial intelligence's extraordinary recent rise recalls Hemingway's famous line about going bankrupt: "In two ways. Gradually, then suddenly." That combination underscores the emergence of many technologies, of course. It creeps up on us, and then is suddenly moving at speed, everywhere. This makes it hard for cities and places to work with the grain of tech, in order to produce equitable or sustainable outcomes. Although we rarely do it, tech asks us to step back and ask the deeper questions lurking behind all the noise. In this talk I'll describe how everyday technologies, digital and physical combined, define how we live together; how they tend to articulate what we stand for as a society, or how our cities work — and what's on the table now. Drawing together inspiring projects and cases ranging from Norway to Japan, and from new cities to reimagined regions, I'll suggest how we might align design practices in order to address our contemporary shared challenges, like climate breakdown, social cohesion, and sweeping demographic changes. As AI moves beyond shuffling playlists or improving grammar and starts coordinating mobility, energy, and water systems, or how housing is allocated or buildings are made, we must rapidly figure out how design, governance, and community best understand and take advantage of these new distributed, decentralised and collaborative technologies. In doing so, we might well challenge our preconceptions of technology, economy, and community themselves.
Key Insights
-
•
AI and technology shape urban environments significantly.
-
•
Designers must consider societal impacts over mere technical solutions.
-
•
Understanding historical precedents is vital in design.
-
•
Local communities can lead in urban regeneration efforts.
-
•
Collaboration between disciplines enhances design outcomes.
-
•
The example of Oslo's bike-sharing shows systemic design success.
-
•
Innovative tech should prioritize social fabric, not just efficiency.
-
•
There's a growing need to discuss the ethical implications of new technologies.
-
•
Designing for shared, participative tech aligns with common good outcomes.
-
•
'Soft eyes' in design encourages systemic thinking.
Notable Quotes
"Technology affects cities directly and profoundly."
"We need to find ways of dealing with AI that consider its societal impact."
"The car could arguably be one of the most negative technologies we've ever introduced at scale."
"We need to design systems that foreground social interaction and community."
"Historically, cities were built for people, not cars."
"Uber and Lyft are a perfect example of how interaction design can have negative societal effects."
"Can we prevent people from getting sick by improving living conditions?"
"We have to think about the deeper, wider societal questions behind our designs."
"We must ask what is code good for and who decides that?"
"Art and culture can help predict the implications of new concepts."
More Videos
"You are not just trusting an LLM; they are not databases, they mess up in ways databases never would."
Noz UrbinaRapid AI-powered UX (RAUX): A framework for empowering human designers
May 1, 2025
"Each first take was the only take, which got pressed on the album."
Jim KalbachJazz Improvisation as a Model for Team Collaboration
June 4, 2019
"Talking to the people that I work with about the experience of doing their job in order to improve their job experience is probably the most overlooked skill set that we have."
Holly ColeUnderstanding Experiences: When you have to do more than work
November 8, 2018
"We can achieve pixel parity by working with the same source of truth."
Jack BeharHow to Build Prototypes that Behave like an End-Product
December 6, 2022
"If you have questions for the speakers, you really need to put your question in the thread specific to the talk."
Bria AlexanderOpening Remarks
October 3, 2023
"Lean into hope; it's the only thing that drives conversations forward in AI."
Erika FlowersAI-Readiness: Preparing NASA for a Data-Driven, Agile Future
June 10, 2025
"We are not replacing teachers; we are enhancing their ability to teach effectively."
Kristin SkinnerFive Years of DesignOps
September 29, 2021
"In jazz music, there's what's called 'the head.'"
Jim KalbachJazz Improvisation as a Model for Team Collaboration
November 6, 2017
"At Microsoft, we really started to understand what are the real needs of our customers."
Surya VankaUnleashing Swarm Creativity to Solve Enterprise Challenges
June 10, 2021
