Samsung's human-centered AI design push at CES 2026: What product teams can use now
At CES 2026, Samsung laid out a clear intent: build warmer, more expressive technology that people actually enjoy living with. In a design forum titled "The Human Side of Tech: Designing a Future Worth Living," Chief Design Officer Mauro Porcini joined designers Karim Rashid and Fabio Novembre, moderated by Debbie Millman, to discuss how AI-era products can connect on a human level-beyond specs and sameness.
For product leaders, the signal is simple: utility isn't enough. Emotional resonance, personal identity, and context-aware experiences are becoming core product requirements, not optional polish.
Moving past uniform minimalism
Millman called out how device design has converged on a single look, while other industries allow more expressive variety. The panel argued that as creation tools and distribution get easier, customers expect products that reflect who they are-not just feature lists and price points.
Practical takeaway: treat visual and behavioral differentiation as strategic. If your market is spec-parity, distinct expression becomes the moat.
AI × (EI + HI): a working model for teams
Porcini shared a simple formula: AI × (Emotional Intelligence + Human Imagination). Inside Samsung, that model guides design toward wellbeing, creativity, and self-expression across home, work, and public spaces. The point: AI should extend human intent, not replace it.
Translate that into delivery by pairing ML capabilities with experience goals that are explicitly emotional in nature (calm, play, curiosity, reassurance). Then validate whether the interface actually evokes those states for real users.
Why expressive design now
Rashid underscored how people form strong bonds with physical objects: "Through design, you can end up with a very powerful, emotional connection with inanimate objects." Novembre added, "Happiness is the aim of design… it must move back to the centre of the stage."
In crowded markets where specs are similar, the products that communicate care-through form, material, motion, microcopy, and adaptive behavior-win attention and retention.
What this means for your roadmap
- Redefine requirements: pair each feature with an emotional intent (e.g., "reduce anxiety during setup," "spark curiosity on idle screens," "affirm progress in learning flows").
- Design for context: prototype interfaces that adapt to environment, time of day, and user preference-without being intrusive.
- Expressive systems: extend your design tokens beyond color/typography to include motion, haptics, sound, and personality ranges.
- Privacy-first personalization: collect the minimum, explain the why, offer clear controls, and provide a great experience even with data sharing off.
- Cross-device coherence: plan end-to-end states across TV, mobile, appliances, and services so the experience feels consistent, not repetitive.
AI features to prototype now
- Emotionally aware UI states: gentle modes for focus; playful modes for discovery; supportive modes during errors.
- Adaptive displays: visuals and information density that adjust to distance, lighting, and attention level.
- Personalized services: on-device models that learn preferences for layout, reminders, content pacing, and accessibility needs.
- Contextual onboarding: short, situational walkthroughs instead of one long tutorial.
Metrics that matter
- Sentiment change: pre/post task mood or confidence scores (quick in-flow checks, optional for users).
- Friction and fluency: task completion time, error recovery rate, and drop-offs at emotionally sensitive steps.
- Attachment signals: repeat use of "quiet joy" features (screensavers, ambient modes), customization depth, and long-term retention.
- Trust indicators: opt-in rates for personalization, privacy control usage without churn, support tickets related to "creepy" behavior.
Guardrails for responsible expression
- Explainability: show what the system noticed and how it adjusted (plain language, single tap to revert).
- User agency: persistent controls for tone, intensity of adaptation, and data sharing.
- Accessibility by default: expressive elements must be perceivable, optional, and not fatiguing.
- Edge-case safety: fail gracefully when signals are uncertain; avoid mood inference from sensitive data without explicit consent.
Where Samsung is pointing
While no specific products were announced, expect movement in AI-assisted interfaces, adaptive displays, and personalized services across TVs, phones, appliances, and connected ecosystems. The emphasis shifts from a single object's look to the feeling of the entire experience across touchpoints.
For product teams, the opportunity is to build features that people feel-then prove they work with the same rigor used for performance and reliability.
Further reading
Quick checklist for the next quarter
- Run 5-7 in-home or context-of-use sessions to map emotional highs/lows along critical tasks.
- Add "emotional intent" fields to PRDs and design reviews; gate releases on at least one validated emotional outcome.
- Pilot one adaptive UI behavior with clear on/off and why-this-changed messaging.
- Expand your design system with motion and tone tokens; document usage boundaries.
- Instrument sentiment, friction, and trust indicators; review them weekly with product and design leads.
Minimalism had its run. The next edge is empathy you can feel-expressed through products that respond to people, not just inputs.
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