Click to enlargeEgyptian-born and Canadian-raised industrial designer Karim Rashid was one of the keynote speakers at the inaugural Auckland Design Week Design Conference. Image: Luke Foley-Martin 1 of 15Te Aroha Grace (Prkei) gave the opening tikanga and welcome. Image: Luke Foley-Martin 2 of 15The Women shaping innovation through technology panel: Jennifer Michtavy (HyperCinema), Laura Ciblich (RUN Aotearoa), Laura Heynike (Pocketspace Interiors) and Lauren Palmer (Fisher & Paykel Appliances). Image: Luke Foley-Martin 3 of 15Beyond AI: Designing with emerging technologies panellists: Martin Varney (MAKE Architects), Matt Watkins (Special Studio), Rui Peng (Critical) and William Harbridge (JPA Design). Image: Luke Foley-Martin 4 of 15Beautiful business B-Corp panellists: Amanda Niu (Eva), Greig Brebner (Blunt Umbrellas), Raphaela Rose (ahha) and Steven Boyd (Deadly Ponies). Image: Luke Foley-Martin 5 of 15Tradition meets tomorrow: New Zealands Design Identity speaker Te Ari Prendergast (Warren and Mahoney). Image: Luke Foley-Martin 6 of 15Simon Wilson (RDT Pacific) interviews Miko Brouwer (RDT Pacific) and Te Ari Prendergast (Warren and Mahoney). Image: Luke Foley-Martin 7 of 15Conference attendees visit designers in the Exhibition Space, including Lyzadie Design Studio, Rockcote, Billi, Eva, Critical and Arlington. Image: Luke Foley-Martin 8 of 15Conference attendees check out the Special Studio 3D printing exhibit. Image: Luke Foley-Martin 9 of 15Conference attendees check out the Special Studio 3D printing exhibit. Image: Luke Foley-Martin 10 of 15Attendees visit designers in the Exhibition Space. Image: Luke Foley-Martin 11 of 15Designers in the Exhibition Space, included Critical. Image: Luke Foley-Martin 12 of 15Design Conference attendees at the end of the day. Image: Luke Foley-Martin 13 of 15Karim Rashid with Design Conference attendees. Image: Luke Foley-Martin 14 of 15Auckland Design Week founder Jen Jones wraps up the conference at the end of the day. Image: Luke Foley-Martin 15 of 15Now in its second year, Auckland Design Week held its inaugural Design Conference last week in Mount Eden. Amanda Harkness reports on some of the key take outs from the sold-out industry event.This years Auckland Design Week HQ was housed in the Life church campus on Normanby Road, hence the tempting rhetorical trope of faith over fear but, word play aside, the light-filled venue turned out to be an inspired choice for its design, amenity andlocation.In the middle of a weekpacked with satellite events, self-guided circuits and design days and labs, the Chance + Change day-long conference invited a host of designers, architects, artists and industry enthusiasts to consider the transformative potential and ethical implications of emerging technologies such as AI, VR, AR, prefabrication, 3D printing, software-generated design andmore.Billed as a showcase of the dynamic interplay between tradition and technology, craftmanship and innovation, we were asked to attend with an open mind as we considered pushing hypotheticals, breaking rules and borrowing from otherindustries.The big-ticket name on the speakers list was the larger-than-life Karim Rashid, whose body of work (at 2-3 seconds per image on the reel) appeared to outlast his 1 hour 30-minute talk and Q&A session perhaps the designer doesnt sleep? On describing the pluralist act of the creator, he did point out that the creator can create almost anything, and so, it would seem, hehas.Industrial designer Karim Rashid.Image: Luke Foley-MartinRashid sees his role as shaping a world around us to elevate our emotions, where beauty is defined by the inner and outer working together in harmony. For such a prolific designer, there was perhaps some irony in his assertion that the less things we have, the more our planet will be able to survive, and that, for him, personally, to not have things is a freedom. But he did share some interestinginsights:1. We are living in the casual age (where neck ties are no longer de rigeuer and more than 50% of shoes sold aresneakers)2. AI is the past, not the future it only documents what weve alreadydone3. With everything today being image-driven, were fast becoming followers, not originators. Where is the diversity, the difference, the disparity? Beware ofbanality.4. Transparency is critical; without it, a business willdie5. Technology can be a beautiful driver fororiginalityAfter a fast-paced talk packed with insights, history, anecdotes and observation, Rashidleft us with a powerful, mindful thought that the ultimate form of human existence is to live in the present. And then he disappeared, stage right, to change into another eye-catching ensemble to dazzle during the cocktailhour.Women shaping innovation through technology panellist Laura Heynike (Pocketspace Interiors).Image: Luke Foley-MartinOther speakers throughout the day shared with us how AI has infused huge efficiencies into their designs (Laura Heynike from PocketspaceInteriors), in terms of both concept generation and site measures, freeing them up to spend more time on diving into the detail that really matters. Talk of pushing design barriers, the benefits of wastage metrics, the endless potential of parametric design, and the ability to put value back on human connection overwhelmingly gave a thumbs up toAI.Martin Varney fromMAKE Architects (designers of the beautiful Karangahake Gorge house) said the only limitations to his studios sustainable prefab designs were in the suppliers methodology of putting the product together. Rui Peng, co-founder of Critical, pointed out that when an interior fitout typically lasts only 57 years, think of the waste. Hence, the birth of his Cleanstone, made from 100% recycled plastics and 100% recyclable at end of life. Varney and Pengs panel were also all tech positivity, describing transforming workflow, client interactions, sustainability and globalreach.Amanda Billing, MC for the Design Conference.Image: Luke Foley-MartinEthics and cyber-security were covered, in terms of intellectual property theft, insider threats and tech giant influence, as were social norms, cloud storage and energy use. Frances Valintine (academyEX founder) was insistent: We suffer from slow adoption of AI here in New Zealand, we have to get over the fear of AI taking our jobs and we need to start using it. In perhaps one of the most prescientstatements of the day, she added: Ethics are under siege, the loudest voices are being heard (citing Musks LLM Grok), we need to be in thegame.Next up a panel of B-Corp certified practitioners, the founders of ahha, Blunt Umbrellas,Deadly Ponies and Eva, spoke of their experience in building strong, sustainable and socially-responsible businesses and the day concluded with Warren and Mahoneys Te Ari Prendergast sharing how design can help restore mtauranga Mori by examining the role of healing, ritual and knowledge in addressing past injustices, restoring connection to the land and revitalising culturaltraditions.Auckland Design Week founder Jen Jones should be buoyed by the initiatives first conference. The day was a manifestation of Rashids proposed future of design: where creativity, technology and human essence merge seamlessly to enhance our collectiveexperience.