HCII Seminar Series - Abhijit Thosar
Speaker
Abhijit Thosar
Head of Research and Design
When
-
Where
Newell Simon Hall - Room 1305
Video
Video link
Description
"Designing with AI: The Next Frontier in Human-AI Collaboration"
Abhijit Thosar, a seasoned design leader, invites students to explore how Agentic AI is reshaping how we design digital systems. As AI shifts from passive tools to autonomous agents, Human-Computer Interaction enters a new era - one where designers create experiences that enable meaningful collaboration between humans and intelligent systems.
In this talk, Abhijit will share insights from real-world examples where AI is automating decisions, personalizing workflows, and redefining user roles. He’ll explore how this evolution impacts design principles, success metrics, and user expectations. For HCI students, this is a chance to rethink how we design for trust, explainability, and shared control in AI-driven systems. The session will challenge attendees to go beyond usability and consider how to build experiences that are not only intelligent - but also human-centered.
Speaker's Bio
Abhijit brings over two decades of industry experience utilizing design thinking to transform consumer and enterprise experiences. His collaborations with Fortune 100 companies have driven innovation, business value, and market differentiation. Abhijit has traveled to over 40 countries to interview stakeholders, observe users, conduct design thinking workshops, validate prototypes, and present design-led product strategies. This extensive global experience has given Abhijit a unique cross-industry perspective and a deep appreciation for designing products for the global markets. Abhijit serves as the Head of Design at a big tech company in Silicon Valley where he leads a global team of Researchers, Designers, and Prototypers. His team is designing next generation products focused on business transformation for industries such as automotive, manufacturing, clean energy, sustainability, healthcare and life sciences. As a lifelong learner, Abhijit is passionate about teaching. In 2021, Abhijit became an adjunct faculty of design at Stanford University, School of Engineering where he mentors final year engineering students on advanced product design projects. Abhijit earned a distinguished scholar title at Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Education in 2022 for his commitment for continuous learning.