EP 49: AI in the Classroom with Emily Allen Burroughs (DSA)

In this episode of AI for Interior Designers, Jenna Gaidusek welcomes Emily Allen Burroughs, Director of Education for the Designer Society of America (DSA), to have an honest and eye-opening conversation about how interior design students—and pros—are navigating the AI boom.

Emily shares the mission of DSA and how their foundation in education continues to evolve alongside the tools designers use. Together, she and Jenna explore a growing divide between students who are over-relying on AI (and losing their voice in the process) and seasoned professionals who are still hesitant to embrace it at all. Spoiler: the sweet spot is somewhere in the middle, and it’s all about balance.

They dive into the importance of keeping your unique voice, the dangers of regurgitated content, and the rising trend of AI-generated imagery and floor plans that are eerily similar—sometimes identical—across different student projects. Jenna also touches on her favorite practices for working backwards with AI, like using voice memos and training your tools on your brand tone to keep things authentic.

Other highlights include:

• Why foundational skills like hand drafting still matter more than ever

• How to use AI to spark creativity (not replace it)

• Red flags to look for when using AI tools in research and rendering

• The growing need for AI integrity and transparency in design education

• Ways DSA is supporting students and pros alike with thoughtful education on technology in the field

It’s a real-talk episode about what’s working, what’s worrisome, and what the next steps are for educators, designers, and students alike.

Resources mentioned:

• Designer Society of America (DSA)

• AI Detection Tools: IsItAI.com and similar

• Perplexity.ai for research-based AI search