In AI era, design must serve people: Seoul Design Foundation CEO

What happened: At Herald Design Lounge 2026 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Seoul Design Foundation CEO Cha Kang-heui said design's value increasingly lies in how creations serve people's lives as AI makes visual forms easier to produce. Key numbers: The event's theme was "Beyond Visuals." The forum ran 15 years, connected more than 100 leading creators with some 10,000 Why it matters: Cha said understanding users remains a human responsibility and that designers will design the lives in which forms find their place. He hopes Seoul sets design direction rather than following trends.

At Herald Design Lounge 2026 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Seoul Design Foundation CEO Cha Kang-heui said design's value increasingly lies in how creations serve people's lives as AI makes visual forms easier to produce.

Cha said understanding users remains a human responsibility and that designers will design the lives in which forms find their place. He hopes Seoul sets design direction rather than following trends.