A new generation of ambitious and talented design professionals is emerging, eager to make their mark—but at the same time, AI is rapidly infiltrating the design world, offering shortcuts that raise important questions. As consumers and industry stakeholders increasingly scrutinize the ethics of design, the demand for products and services that are truly unique, aesthetic, and functional grows. At the same time, there is a growing debate: do we really need new gadgets, clothing, and furniture, or can we simply repair and reuse what we already have?
This shift in mindset is also reflected in the challenges facing design fairs, with declining participation numbers, and design media working hard to maintain relevance. The landscape of design education and research is undergoing transformation, and the pressure on young designers is mounting—often creating a sense of inadequacy in a world that constantly demands more.
In this context, Audrone, from an academic perspective, will explore crucial questions: What new skills should we be teaching design students? How can we foster optimism and drive meaningful, positive change? And what should employers expect from newly graduated designers entering the workforce.
Speaker: Audrone Drungilaite, Director of Design Innovation Center at Vilnius Academy of Arts
The talk will happen at 2 PM, February 5th at Stockholm Furniture Fair, Greenhouse Small Talks stand C01:50.
