This captioned video produced by Dezeen for Autodesk reveals Philippe Starck's A.I. chair for Kartell, which the software company claims is the first chair designed using artificial intelligence to be put into production. Launched at the Salone del Mobile furniture fair during Milan design week 2019, the chair was designed by Starck using prototype generative design software developed by Autodesk. "This is the first chair in production created by artificial intelligence in collaboration with human beings," said the software company. Starck used Autodesk's prototype software to create a strong, stable chair using minimal material, via a process that he described as "a lot like having a conversation". "Kartell, Autodesk and I asked the artificial intelligence a question: do you know how we can rest our bodies using the least amount of material?"

This summer, furniture company Kartell will start selling a new plastic chair designed by Philippe Starck – with some help. The system used – not, perhaps, strictly an AI – was a generative design software platform from Autodesk. Supplied with initial design goals, along with parameters such as materials, manufacturing methods and cost constraints, the software explores all the possible permutations of a solution to generate design alternatives. It tests and learns from each iteration what works and what doesn't. "As the relationship between the two matured, the system became a much stronger collaborative partner, and began to anticipate Starck's preferences and the way he likes to work," says Mark Davis, senior director of design futures at Autodesk.