PeopleX to Sponsor Design Conference 'Designship 2026'

PeopleX Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kota Tachibana; hereinafter "the company"), an integrated AI company solving challenges in HR and sales domains, announces its sponsorship as a SILVER sponsor of 'Designship 2026,' Japan's largest design conference, to be held on October 10 (Sat) and 11 (Sun), 2026.

About Designship 2026

'Designship 2026' is Japan's largest design conference, bringing together professionals across UX, UI, product, graphic, and service design under the theme 'Now is the time to connect design across Japan.' Since its inaugural event in 2018, it has been held for eight consecutive years under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, with over 50,000 cumulative attendees.

In its ninth year, amid the explosive evolution of AI that challenges the value of design and designers, the conference aims to provide a platform for designers to share personal stories, express intentions, envision the future, and connect their designs and souls.

Event Overview

Event Name: Designship 2026

Dates: October 10 (Sat) – 11 (Sun), 2026

Venue: Tokyo Midtown Hall (Hall A + Hall B)

Organizer: General Incorporated Association Designship

Official Website: https://design-ship.jp

Sponsorship Background

As AI becomes widely implemented in society, the scope of design and the roles of those involved in creating products and experiences are undergoing significant transformation. Beyond designing screens and features, we believe it is increasingly important for design to address questions such as: What should be delegated to AI, and where should humans make decisions? How should AI behave, and how do people perceive and trust it? These are critical challenges for the future of design.

Our own development teams are at the heart of this transformation.

In developing our conversational AI interview service 'PeopleX AI Interview,' we design not only the interface but also the behavior of the AI beyond the screen and the human-AI relationship, to ensure candidates can speak comfortably and authentically, and companies can receive results with confidence.

In this process, traditional boundaries between roles and workflows have begun to shift.

Designers are stepping beyond Figma to engage in coding, specifications, and product decision-making, while engineers and other roles are increasingly involved in design decisions. We are redefining design not as a task confined to a specific role or tool, but as 'the act of defining questions, shaping desirable experiences, and guiding them to realization.'

In this context, where AI's evolution is redefining the value of design and designers, the conference's central question—'Why do you design now?'—resonates deeply with the themes our entire company is grappling with and the daily trials and errors of our development and design teams.

Through our sponsorship and presentation, we aim to share the changes occurring in AI product development and the emerging role of designers. We hope to connect with designers across diverse fields, exchange practices and perspectives, and spark discussions on the future of design—this is why we have decided to sponsor 'Designship 2026.'

Session Presentation

At the conference, PeopleX designers Yuki Sako and Miko Ando will present.

Presentation Overview

Dissolving Job Titles, Enduring Design: The Evolving Role of Designers in AI Interview Development

In the development of PeopleX AI Interview, the boundaries between designers, product managers (PdMs), and engineers have nearly dissolved.

In this session, designers who have moved beyond Figma-centric workflows and redefined their roles will share their turning points, struggles, and insights gained from letting go of traditional roles.

Additionally, from a managerial perspective, we will share our current reflections on the question: 'What does an organization centered on design actions—not job titles—look like?'

Date and Time: October 10, 2026 (Sat), 5:30 PM – 5:40 PM

Speaker Profiles

Executive Officer, Head of Design

Yuki Sako

Began career as a programmer and web designer, joined BENGOSHI.COM Inc. in 2008. Participated in the launch of CloudSign from 2015, immediately after its IPO, serving in dual managerial roles for design, customer success, and product management. Joined PeopleX in 2025 after freelancing in 2024, currently serving as Head of Design.

Lead Designer

Miko Ando

Studied the French Revolution at Sophia University’s Department of History, then worked in individual sales at JTB for four years. While working, studied design and transitioned into the IT industry. Has held diverse roles in multiple startups, including communication design, launching new businesses from 0 to 1, and product design for B2B SaaS. Joined PeopleX in 2024 and currently leads product development for the flagship 'AI Interview' service as both PdM and designer.

About PeopleX

Founded in 2024, PeopleX is an integrated AI company. Since inception, we have consistently developed and provided AI-driven products and services to support individual success and corporate growth. Guided by our purpose—'Engaging with People'—and grounded in human-centered principles, we have continuously launched multiple AI products, including 'PeopleX AI Interview,' 'PeopleX AI Roleplay,' and 'PeopleX AI Counseling.'

Our design team goes beyond being 'designers in an AI company'—we have built and operate an AI-native design process incorporating tools like Claude Code and MCP. We are simultaneously shaping both an emerging market and a new design process, neither of which yet exists in Japan. We are seeking designers interested in this high-difficulty challenge.

For more details:

Product Designer Recruitment

https://hrmos.co/pages/peoplex/jobs/07111

We hope our sponsorship and presentation at 'Designship 2026' will provide an opportunity to share our design team’s daily challenges and practices. We also sincerely look forward to meeting and engaging with many designers at the event.

Company Overview: PeopleX Inc.

Corporate Name: PeopleX Inc.

Representative: Kota Tachibana

Capital: ¥51 billion (including capital reserves, as of September 2026)

Headquarters: 24F, Shinjuku Sumitomo Building, 2-6-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Business Overview: Development and provision of AI products for HR and sales domains

• 'PeopleX Platform' powered by proprietary LLM and MotherAI OS 'Athena'

• Conversational AI Interview Service 'PeopleX AI Interview'

• Conversational AI Roleplay Service 'PeopleX AI Roleplay'

• Conversational AI Counseling Service 'PeopleX AI Counseling'

• AI-driven sales