Deep Interaction & Paradigm Innovation: The 2025 Future Design and Artificial Intelligence Liangzhu Conference Concludes with Strong International Participation

HANGZHOU, China, Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 19, 2025, the China Academy of Art (CAA) hosted the 2025 Future Design and Artificial Intelligence Liangzhu Conference, themed "Deep Interaction & Paradigm Innovation," co-organized by the CAA School of Industrial Design, the Design-AI Lab (one of the Ministry of Education's Philosophy and Social Sciences Laboratories),  the Zhejiang Provincial Pilot Unit for Integrated Reform of Education, Science, and Technology: Industrial Design Can Also Enhance Transformation Capacity through Innovation, the Cumulus Association, and the International Forum for Design Research (IFDR). The conference took place at the CAA Liangzhu Campus alongside the Liangzhu Forum. The event's thematic progression—from "Design Leadership" in 2023, to "Design Resilience" in 2024, and to "Deep Interaction & Paradigm Innovation" in 2025—reflects the School of Industrial Design's ongoing exploration of how the foundational elements of the industrial era—such as water, electricity, and coal—intersect with the data, algorithms, and computational power of the intelligent era to reshape the underlying architecture of everyday life.

The conference brought together leading experts in design and technology from around the world to discuss human-centered thinking in the AI era, East-West dialogues on deep interaction, interdisciplinary and paradigm innovation, human-machine co-creation and emerging technological pathways. Keynote speakers included Lou Yongqi, Fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, President of Shanghai University of Engineering Science and Chair of the China National Graduate Education Steering Committee for Design; Han Xu, Vice President of CAA; Tapani Hyvönen, Distinguished Professor at CAA and former board member of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (now the World Design Organization (WDO)). Experts such as Yang Huayong, Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Zhejiang University; Ji Tie, Dean of the School of Design at Hunan University and Secretary-General of the Ministry of Education's Industrial Design Educational Steering Committee, and Zhang Linghao, President of Nanjing University of the Arts, also delivered remarks and participated in discussions.

At the International Roundtable on Design, Intelligent Manufacturing, and Education held on November 1, Jin Yibin, Secretary of the Party Committee of CAA, delivered an opening address, emphasizing the roundtable's role as a platform for mutual learning and the exchange of ideas across civilizations. Attendees of the morning keynote session included Liu Ning, President of the China Industrial Design Association and Vice Chair of the National Steering Committee for Graduate Education for Design Degrees; Gui Wenbin, Director of the 712 Research Institute at China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited; Paivi Tahkokallio, former President of the Bureau of European Design Associations; Prof. Dong Zhanjun, President of the Shandong University of Art and Design and Member of the Ministry of Education's Steering Committee for Art Theory Education; Li Chaode, Member of the Ministry of Education's Steering Committee for Art Major Education and Director of the Soochow University Museum; Zhao Chao, Vice President of the International Council of Design and Secretary-General of the Ministry of Education's Design Teaching Steering Committee, and Tenured Professor at Tsinghua University; Gong Miaosen, Associate Professor of the School of Design at Jiangnan University, Director of the DESIS Lab, and Executive Member of Cumulus; Zhou Jiwu, Chief Expert of the National Major Art Project and Professor at the School of Art, Nanjing University; Adriana Rivas Madrigal, Professor and Head of International Cooperation at the Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico; and Prof. Zhang Li, Tenured Professor at the College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University. The roundtable forum was presided over by Fang Hai, a renowned expert in the field of design studies in China. Esteemed specialists attending the forum included Helena Hyvönen, former Dean of the School of Art, Design, and Architecture at Aalto University in Finland; Hannu Kähönen, President of Creadesign Oy; Harri Kallionmäki, Professor at Lahti University of Applied Sciences in Finland; and Prof. James Brian Hope, Director of the CAA Transportation Design Institute.

Prof. Wang Yun, the initiator and planner of the conference, advocated that design is evolving from a professional methodology into a systematic language that redefines the relationships between humans, technology, and society. He noted that Chinese design is poised to achieve breakthroughs in both foundational architecture and ethical paradigms. In the era of artificial intelligence, the primary focus for future design remains "human-centered thinking." As a leader in design education, the CAA School of Industrial Design continues work in the preservation of China's cultural heritage, the application of contemporary scientific and technological achievements, and the exploration of design's humanistic and ethical dimensions. The School consistently prioritizes real-world relevance, cultivating students' ability to engage directly with societal needs and develop effective solutions. As a strategic hub for integrating industry, investment, and market resources, the School of Industrial Design works closely with creative-design talent development to build an innovation ecosystem grounded in industry-education collaboration.

Represented by the CAA School of Industrial Design, China's design community draws from a rich cultural legacy, a global outlook, and a strong foundation in industry-education integration. In the intelligent era, Chinese designers are taking on new responsibilities—providing an indispensable "Chinese solution" for shaping a future society characterized by harmonious human–machine collaboration and shared co-creation.

The authors of this article are Prof. Wang Yun, Dean of the CAA School of Industrial Design, and Prof. Wu Peiping, the conference coordinator.