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Image: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images/AEG, Oggia/Adobe Stock, Krzysztof Jaroma/Adobe Stock
We used to argue whether design was about aesthetics or about functionality. But in 2025, those conversations seemed downright quaint. Simpler debates for a simpler time.
Now we’re wondering if craft can survive the age of AI, and if we’ll ever escape the politicization of every brand and object again.
For the December episode of our podcast By Design, I discussed these trends and more with Fast Company senior editor Liz Stinson.
We were joined by some of our brightest friends in the industry who shared their biggest own moments in design for the year, including Paola Antonelli (senior curator at MoMA), Cliff Kuang (FC Design’s first editor and senior staff designer at Google), Forest Young (Global Design & AI Resident at Wolff Olins), and Elizabeth Goodspeed (editor-at-large at Its Nice That). Just try to guess who called out vibe coding, and who highlighted Sabrina Carpenter’s latest tour.
Tune in through Apple or Spotify, and please give us a few stars if you like it.
See you in 2026!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Wilson is the global design editor at Fast Company, who covers the entirety of design’s impact on culture and business.. An authority in product design, UX, AI, experience design, retail, food, and branding, he has reported landmark features on companies ranging from Nike and Google to MSCHF, Canva, Samsung, Snap, IDEO, and Target, while profiling design luminaries including Tyler the Creator, Jony Ive, and Salehe Bembury.