ABOUT

Giulia Jiangxian Zhu is a Visual and Interaction Designer based in Milan. With a BA in Graphic Design from the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, she is completing her MA in Digital and Interaction Design at Politecnico di Milano. Adopting a Research through Design approach, she investigates the role of intelligent systems in fostering care connection, and support across cultures, generations, and human–nonhuman relationships. Her thesis explores how we might design emotionally meaningful and ethically grounded AI companionship that feels supportive without replacing human connection or fostering emotional dependency, while addressing its broader societal and cultural implications.