[DigitalToday reporter Daegeon Seok] Mauro Porcini, president and chief design officer (CDO) of Samsung Electronics, presented a design direction for the AI era at CES 2026, the world’s largest electronics show.

Samsung Electronics on Jan. 6 (local time) held the Samsung Tech Forum at the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas and ran a panel discussion on the theme of the “human side of technology”. Global designers including Karim Rashid and Fabio Novembre attended. The discussion was moderated by Debbie Millman, host of the design podcast “Design Matters”.

Porcini said a people-first approach is an obvious responsibility for the future. He said he believes it is an essential element not only as a matter of principle but also from strategic and economic perspectives.

The panelists agreed that as the technology environment changes quickly and accessibility improves and the technology gap narrows, the core of technology differentiation is design that starts from a people-first perspective. Millman said minimalism has dominated the design of technology over the past 20 years and stressed the need to discuss a new design direction.

Porcini said Samsung Electronics’ design goal is to enrich people’s quality of life through technology. He said Samsung is supporting people through design and technology so they can live longer and healthier, enjoy better lives, freely express themselves and leave traces of their lives through technology.

He also made clear that Samsung Electronics’ design goal is to improve users’ quality of life. Novembre said, “We pursue happiness through design, and make the impossible possible.”

◆Samsung CDO announces ‘expressive design’ vision

Porcini stressed that AI should be a tool that amplifies emotional intelligence and imagination. Defining this as the formula “AI X (EI + HI)”, he explained that during the design development stage AI should be amplified by emotional intelligence and imagination, and when users use products AI should play a role in amplifying emotional intelligence and imagination. He added that to do that, technology must be designed with people at the centre, and technology designed that way will deliver more meaningful innovation in everyday life.

He also highlighted “expressive design”, which Samsung is applying across its design. Expressive design conveys emotions, expands self-expression, fosters connections between people and creates experiences that stimulate imagination. Rashid said design connects emotions and experiences between technology and people and helps people understand and enjoy technology and use it to express who they are, describing the role of design in the AI era.

Porcini stressed that a more human future can be created if emotions and identity take root between technology and people through design. He said Samsung Electronics is applying the principle that “form and function follow meaning” across its design. He said it plans to shift various elements users encounter from being product-centred to designing experiences.