Mauro Porcini, CDO
Press briefing at Design Miami Seoul 2026
Mauro Porcini, the executive overseeing design strategy for Samsung Electronics' finished-product lineup, laid out a vision to deliver both emotional "pull" — designs that resonate with people's feelings — and a functional "wow" effect that surprises and delights.
Porcini, chief design officer of Samsung Electronics' Device Experience Division, presented the company's new design direction at Design Miami Seoul 2026, held Thursday at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul.
He introduced "Design is an Act of Love" as Samsung Electronics' new design principle — the idea that technology exists to understand people and improve their lives.
The philosophy calls for designs rooted in human diversity: customers' tastes, lifestyles, emotions and cultural backgrounds, going well beyond a product's features and performance.
Addressing the AI era, Porcini said devices must be capable of interacting with consumers, and that this imperative is shaping Samsung Electronics' design thinking as well.
He pointed to shifts in the television market as an example. "When you come home, your phone goes on the charger and the TV becomes your AI companion device," he said.
Samsung Electronics is thinking through not only industrial design but also UX (user experience) and UI (user interface), he said. "You will see a lot more coming," he added.
Porcini cited the Samsung OLED TV SH95, unveiled at the event, as a prime example of the company's design strategy in action.
Where conventional televisions exist in the living room as little more than rectangular objects, the SH95 features an ultra-thin OLED panel that floats away from the wall in what the company calls a float-layer design.
Porcini said the customizable bezel on the SH95 demonstrates how a television can reflect different spaces and individual tastes.
It is a case study in how technological advancement can be experienced visually and emotionally by consumers.
Porcini made clear that the same principles apply to Samsung Electronics' robot business, a key area of strategic focus for the company.
"Many companies are ultimately building physical AI that can move and be used in daily life — in cars, in homes," he said. "We need to find the right balance that truly understands people's needs and fulfills both their rational and emotional desires in the best possible way."
"We are researching how to create both functional and emotional pull without intruding on people's lives," he added.
He said Samsung Electronics believes design innovation must start from the experiences users actually expect, layering more human and emotionally meaningful expression on top of a refined minimalist aesthetic.
The Samsung Electronics CDO organization plans to organically connect core products — including TVs, home appliances and mobile devices — with AI services, extending this design philosophy across everyday life.
joze@heraldcorp.com
