Beyond the Plumbing: Materiality, Radical Automation, and Human Agency in Post-Agentic Design

As artificial intelligence reshapes the practice of design, the profession faces a question that goes beyond technological change: what becomes of design when much of its technical execution can be automated? In his lecture at FAL/UBI on Friday, October 16, Pedro Amado explores how it might open up new possibilities for creative practice, critical inquiry, and human-centred innovation.

Drawing parallels with the transformation of traditional printing, the lecture considers how design can shift its focus from routine production towards material exploration, meaningful interaction, and cultural expression. In this emerging landscape, the designer’s role is less about operating tools and more about shaping relationships between people, technologies, and materials.

Through selected projects addressing environmental awareness, digital inclusion, and the revival of traditional printing practices, Amado examines how design research can respond to changing social and technological conditions. Particular attention is given to the SiX Project, which explores how eye-tracking, experimental drawing interfaces, and AI-supported systems can enable people living with Locked-in Syndrome and ALS to express themselves and reconnect with others.

The lecture ultimately asks how design can embrace automation without losing sight of what makes it human. It proposes a future in which technological advances serve as a means to expand individual agency, while material sensitivity, critical reflection, and human connection remain central to both design practice and education.

Pedro Amado, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Design at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto (FBAUP), where he directs the Master’s Degree in Graphic Design and Editorial Projects. He is an integrated researcher at i2ADS and a collaborating member of ID+. His practice-led research explores typography, computational design, digital materiality, and human-computer interaction. He has contributed to numerous national and European research projects addressing ecological literacy, digital inclusion, smart materials, open-source letterpress tools, and the preservation of design knowledge. He is currently a senior researcher on the FCT-funded SiX project, Drawing for Social Re-connectivity, developing eye-gaze drawing interfaces and AI-assisted systems for people living with Locked-in Syndrome and ALS. He is also co-founder of the international Encontro de Tipografia conference and advocates for open-source tools, somatic resistance, epistemic sovereignty, and freedom of information.

Thematic Seminar
16 October 2026, 11:00 am
Room 2.08, FAL/UBI
Faculdade de Artes e Letras (FAL), Universidade da Beira Interior
Rua Marquês d’Ávila e Bolama
6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal