At a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, can it really replace a designer's instinct?
If you are Gen Z, you've probably joked about life's terrible timing.
Graduate and there's a pandemic; start job hunting and AI suddenly wants your role. Think about getting married and gold prices decide to skyrocket.
Somewhere between memes and real anxiety, it does feel like every milestone comes with a plot twist.
But while most of these shifts have sparked panic, artificial intelligence might not be the villain it's made out to be, especially in fashion and design where instinct, individuality and storytelling still matter.
At the recent Lakme Fashion Week 2026, Antonio Maurizio Grioli, dean of fashion and interior design at Pearl Academy, offered a more grounded perspective in a quick chat with Rediff's Rishika Shah.
Pearl Academy, a creative education institute, offers programmes across fashion, design, media and business, with a strong focus on industry-ready training and global exposure.
Grioli is an Italian designer with over 15 years of experience across Europe and Asia, known for blending design, technology and sustainability in both classrooms and on the runway.
IMAGE: Antonio Maurizio Grioli. Photograph: Kind courtesy Antonio Maurizio Grioli'AI won't replace designers'
"Absolutely not," Grioli says, when asked if AI can take over designers' instincts and emotional storytelling. "That's why it's called artificial intelligence."
He explains that while AI may have once seemed intimidating, it has quickly become part of everyday creative processes. But instead of replacing designers, it's simply changing how they work.
"The job of a designer is much beyond just creating something that looks good," he says, adding that human intelligence, or what he calls "HI", still drives the final outcome.
From ideas to infinite possibilities
At Pearl Academy, students are being trained to treat AI as an enabler, not a shortcut.
Grioli explains that design always begins with a question and AI simply multiplies the number of answers.
"With AI, you can ask more questions, explore more directions and suddenly you have millions of possibilities," he says.
But the final call? Still human.
"AI won't give you exactly what's on your mind. You still need to refine it, shape it, make it yours."
Why curiosity matters more than ever
For Grioli, the real skill young designers need today isn't technical, it's emotional.
"Passion and curiosity," he says.
In a world where answers come instantly, he believes curiosity is quietly fading and that's a bigger threat than AI.
"When you're a child, you question everything. Designers need to hold on to that."
Can AI make fashion more sustainable?
Interestingly, Grioli's showcase at Lakme Fashion Week wasn't just about tech, it was also about sustainability.
By combining digital and physical garments, his students were able to present far more ideas without producing every piece.
"Instead of creating 20 physical looks, you can showcase 200 digitally," he explains. That reduces material use, cuts down production and still gives buyers the freedom to choose.
In an industry often criticised for excess, that's not a small shift.
Design vs Business: Why both matter
At Pearl Academy, the focus isn't just on creativity anymore, business is equally important.
The institute offers programmes that combine design with marketing, luxury and entrepreneurship, preparing students for the realities of the industry.
"Design without business won't survive. And business without design is the same," Grioli says.
So, should budding designers be worried?
Maybe not.
Because while AI may be changing the rules, it isn't replacing the player.
In the fashion industry, at least, the final call still belongs to the designer.
© 2026