LAS VEGAS — While much of the contemporary discourse surrounding the future focuses on the rapid proliferation of emerging technologies, the speakers at the TIME Trailblazers Dinner on Monday urged a shift in perspective toward human-centric design. Held in Las Vegas, the event highlighted how leaders in autonomous vehicles, construction, and software are prioritizing human experience over raw technical capability.
Aicha Evans, CEO of autonomous vehicle company Zoox and a 2026 TIME Trailblazers honoree, discussed the philosophy behind her company’s purpose-built robotaxis. Describing the boxy vehicles as “toasters” in jest, Evans explained that the design is intended to make passengers forget they are being driven. “We have a very simple view: when you are in our purpose-built robotaxi, if you thought about driving, we actually failed,” Evans told moderator Kelly Conniff, TIME’s deputy editor and head of creative at TIME Studios. She noted that for many riders, the journey offers a rare opportunity for solitude or relaxation.
Evans also addressed the critical importance of safety within the autonomous sector, citing National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data indicating nearly 40,000 motor vehicle-related deaths annually in the United States. She emphasized that eliminating human error is central to Zoox’s mission.
Jason Ballard, another honoree and founder of construction-tech firm ICON, drew on his experiences with hurricanes along the Texas Gulf Coast to advocate for a rethinking of human shelter. He criticized current building practices as “inhuman,” “sterile,” and “repetitive,” arguing that technology should reconcile seemingly conflicting values such as affordability and aesthetics.
“What advanced technology is supposed to do is maybe bring our values out of conflict,” Ballard said. “Right now you have to choose between affordability and beauty… But wouldn’t the purpose of technology be that we can have all of our values?”
Steve Blum, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Autodesk, which served as the presenting partner for the event, addressed growing anxieties regarding artificial intelligence and automation displacing workers. He argued that AI should serve to augment human capability rather than replace it, freeing professionals to focus on high-value tasks and areas of expertise.
“AI is here to augment the human, not replace the human,” Blum stated, noting that architects and designers worldwide often lack the capacity to pursue all their desired projects due to staffing shortages. He predicted that AI tools would help professionals maximize their output.
Concluding the panel, Ballard offered an optimistic outlook on the current technological landscape. Acknowledging the fear surrounding advanced AI, he pointed to the tangible benefits being realized today as evidence that the era holds great promise.
“There’s a lot of maybe scary, fearful things in the air right now around advanced technologies and AI,” Ballard said. “But I think when you look at the things that are actually being done with the tools today… it’s a very cool time to be alive.”
As an architect, I really needed to hear that affordability and beauty don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Great point.
Did anyone else cringe at the toaster comparison? I’d rather feel safe than forget I’m in a driverless pod.
I love the optimism, but how do we actually regulate this? Trusting CEOs to self-regulate feels risky given recent AI controversies.
Finally, someone is saying it. Tech should serve us, not the other way around. Human-centric design is long overdue.