On Stage at NeoCon: SO Dsgn Talks How Generative AI is Changing Design with Fast Company

Rotimi Solola joins Fast Company–hosted panel at NeoCon to discuss the evolving role of generative AI in design

NeoCon has long been a stage for where design is headed. In 2024, that conversation turned to one of the most pressing and polarizing topics shaping the industry: generative AI.

Rotimi Solola, Co-Founder of SO Dsgn, was invited to join a panel at NeoCon 2024 titled How Generative AI is Changing Design, hosted by Fast Company’s Global Design Editor, Mark Wilson. Sharing the stage with Scott Wilson, Founder and CEO of MNML, and Lori Mukoyama, Global Leader of Hospitality at Gensler, the conversation brought together a powerful mix of perspectives across product, brand, and environmental design.

This wasn’t a surface-level conversation. It was a moment that reflected just how quickly the design landscape is evolving and who is helping shape what comes next.

A Grounded Perspective on AI

While generative AI continues to dominate headlines, Rotimi’s perspective brought a sense of balance to the conversation. His point of view was grounded in something simple but often overlooked:

“Generative AI is part of the future of design, but it’s not the whole story — it is a tool within the process, not the process itself.”

Just like any tool before it, from sketching to CAD to 3D rendering, generative AI has the potential to enhance how we work. It can accelerate exploration, unlock new forms of visualization, and push ideas forward faster than ever before. But it is not the work itself. At its core, design has always been about human insight, intention, and craft. Those are not things that can be automated. They are built through experience, perspective, and the ability to see beyond the obvious.

Beyond the Hype

The conversation also touched on the extremes that tend to define how AI is discussed today. On one end, there is fear. The idea that AI will replace designers entirely. On the other, there is overreliance, where AI becomes a shortcut rather than a support. The reality sits somewhere in between.

The designers who will lead in this next chapter are the ones who understand how to integrate AI without losing their point of view, using it to expand possibilities while still grounding their work in human experience. That balance is where the real opportunity lives, and it is where the most meaningful work will continue to come from.

Looking Ahead

Generative AI is not a passing trend.

It will continue to influence how ideas are generated, visualized, and brought to life. But the foundation of design remains unchanged. It is still about creating meaning, solving real problems, and building connections on a human level.

The tools will evolve, but the responsibility of the designer will not. That is where the future of design will continue to be shaped.