Season 3 of Design Observer Podcast Features ID’s Shapeshift Summit: Responsible AI
September 10, 2025
In Season Three of Design As, a podcast from Design Observer, host Lee Moreau interviews 20 design and tech leaders who gathered in late May at ID’s 2025 Shapeshift Summit.
The Summit focused on reimagining how we approach AI—shifting the conversation from what technology can do, to what we think it should do. Representatives from Adobe, Amazon, Microsoft, Waymo, WhatsApp, and dozens of other organizations tackled the hard questions about artificial intelligence’s role in society.
Lee Moreau, Host of Design As from Design Observer
On the first episode of Design As, host Lee Moreau speaks with behavioral designer and ID associate professor Ruth Schmidt, Shapeshift Summit organizer Albert Shum, Google DeepMind strategist David McGaw, and design lead for Microsoft’s Responsible AI team Ruth Kikin-Gil. They discuss the speed of progress, technology, and algorithms and the role of designers to both speed up and to slow down.
The first episode of Season Three is out now. Subscribe to Design As on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player and don’t miss an episode.
Shapeshift Global Summit: Responsible AI
The 2025 Shapeshift Summit moved AI conversations from a focus on technology to a focus on human impact.
Global thought leaders from the creative, technology, and business communities discussed the implications of AI on the future of design and human systems.
Shapeshift Global Summit: Responsible AI | Salon Recap
In 2024, the Institute of Design collaborated with global partners to host locally-organized salons in Auckland, Tokyo, Pune, and New York City. Each salon focused on using AI for a distinct local concern. The lessons from these salons served as a starting point for the conversations at the 2025 Shapeshift summit.
20 Tech & Design Leaders Featured on Season Three of Design As
- TB Bardlavens, Director of Product and Product Equity, Adobe
- Anne H Berry, Professor and Director, School of Design at University of Illinois Chicago
- Kevin Bethune, Chief Creative Officer, dreams • design + life
- Grace Colby (DSGN 1985), Filmmaker and Emeritus Board Member, Institute of Design
- Liz Danzico, VP of Design, Microsoft AI
- Anamitra Deb, SVP of Programs and Policy, Omidyar Network
- Elizabeth Gerber, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Communication Studies, Northwestern University; Faculty Founder, Design For America
- Ellie Kemery, Principal AI User Research Lead, SAP Business AI
- Ruth Kikin-Gil, Responsible AI Strategist, Microsoft
- Ashley Lukasik, CEO, Murmur Ring
- Anijo Mathew, Dean and Professor of Entrepreneurship & Urban Technology, Institute of Design
- David McGaw (MDes 2007), Design Strategy & UX Research Lead, Google DeepMind
- Jessica Meharry (PhD 2023), Associate Professor, School of Design at DePaul University
- Ryan Powell (MDes 2001), Director and Head of User Experience, Waymo
- Brandon Schauer (MDes + MBA 2005), SVP Climate Culture, Rare
- Ruth Schmidt (MDes 2009), Associate Professor of Behavioral Design, Institute of Design
- Jai Shekhawat, Founder, Fieldglass
- Albert Shum, Former Corporate VP of Design, Microsoft
- Patrick Whitney, Steelcase Endowed Chair and Dean Emeritus, Institute of Design
- Terry Williams-Willcock, Chief Customer Officer, RUSH Digital New Zealand
TB Bardlavens, Director of Product and Product Equity, Adobe, presenting at the Shapeshift Summit.
Anamitra Deb speaking to Jessica Meharry (PhD 2022) at the 2025 Shapeshift Summit.
Ryan Powell (MDes 2001), Director and Head of User Experience, Waymo, discusses the design of autonomous driving experiences during the 2025 Shapeshift Summit.
Albert Shum, Terry Williams-Willcock, and other attendees and presenters enjoy the 2025 Shapeshift Summit.