Design Shanghai 2025: Design for Humanity

Now in its 12th year, Design Shanghai is Asia’s leading international design event. Bringing together global creative leaders, studios, and visionaries to explore how design can shape the future.

Held from 4-7 June at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, the 2025 edition drew over 80,000 visitors across four days. The theme, “Design for Humanity,” focused on how design can help solve the world’s biggest challenges, and how creatives must adapt as technology rapidly reshapes the landscape.

A Shift from China to the World

Conference Director Aidan Walker opened one of the most anticipated sessions of the week by reflecting on the growing global impact of China’s creative community:

Aidan Walker: There’s been a huge shift in creativity that’s coming from China – and that is now influencing the West, rather than the other way around.

This shift set the tone for the panel titled:

“The Big Idea: Human vs Machine Creativity – The Future of Human Creativity in the Artificially Intelligent Age”.

Moderated by Aidan himself, and with one of the speakers being our very own Siu Tang, the session explored a central question:

In a world of AI-generated content, automation, and intelligent tools, do you feel pessimistic or optimistic about the future of human creativity?

Iris Pan: A Different Perspective

While most panelists raised their hands for optimism, Iris Pan, Lead Designer at Amazon XR & AI Shopping, brought a thoughtful starting note of caution to the conversation.

Her view wasn’t cynical. It was reflective and cautionary. As someone working at the frontlines of AI and immersive retail, Iris closed her talk with a powerful reminder:

Iris Pan: Keep asking, what can only humans do? What still needs a soul?

Her words served as a moral check-in for an industry being reshaped by speed and scale.

Siu Tang: Creativity Is a Muscle

Siu’s call was not to ignore AI, but to use it without losing curiosity. Being human gives us creative meaning and power. As humans, we can be emotional, and excited when that light bulb moment hits.

Siu Tang: Stop siloing yourself. Be a modern-day Renaissance thinker.

In Siu’s talk, he referenced projects completed for clients such as Arc’teryx, which was inspired by simply going outside and watching the way the sun casted shadows through the trees.

For Budweiser, our creative idea was sparked by asking local VJs deeper “why” questions, to design Budweiser’s branded game and Drop the Bud shot in 2020.

Through curiosity, play and purpose, Siu turned his whimsical ideas of printing 3D Lucky Cats into a limited edition, viable merchandise business.

Siu’s key point: thrive with AI. Don’t fear it.

Other Voices on the Panel

The panel also featured a diverse mix of voices across creative disciplines:

• Mo Zheng,  Founder of AntiStatics and Lecturer at UPenn

• Craig Miller, Partner at Heatherwick Studio China

• Budiman Ong , Co-Founder of Jia CURATED and Ong Cen Kuang

Each approached the question from their own angle, but shared a clear sentiment: AI can enhance creativity, not replace it, if we use it with intention.

The Takeaway: What Has a Soul?

Creativity in the age of AI isn’t about choosing sides. It’s about protecting what has a soul, and being human enough to ask better questions.

Siu’s closing thoughts offered a blueprint for doing just that:

🔸 Go outside. Inspiration lives in real life. That’s how tree shadows inspired our Arc’teryx pop-up interior.

🔸 Ask why. Don’t just answer briefs. Challenge them. Question assumptions, like we did with Budweiser.

🔸 Play every day. Whether it’s Lucky Cats or cardboard boxes, play leads to invention. Invention leads to everything else.

The message was clear:
AI may move fast, but imagination still belongs to us humans.