[Online] Portfolios That Stand Out in the AI Era

Hey, Product Friends! ✨ Welcome to Tokyo Design Community — one of the most active AI-driven product design communities in Japan, where design meets technology, business, and the tools shaping what comes next.

We're focused on AI-native practical insights, real-world experience, and learning together.
This session, we're tackling something every designer is thinking about right now: how do you make your portfolio stand out when everyone has access to the same AI tools?

Portfolios are starting to look the same. The same layouts, the same case study formats, the same AI-polished visuals. But the designers who are getting hired? They're doing something different. This session breaks down exactly what that is — with real portfolio examples, live reviews, and honest takes from someone who's seen thousands of them.
Are you:
💡 Wondering what actually makes a portfolio stand out to hiring managers today?
💡 Feeling like your work looks too similar to everyone else's in the AI era?
💡 Curious how to use AI tools to build your portfolio without losing your personal voice?

You might be wondering:
• What are the top portfolios doing differently right now?
• What are the biggest red flags hiring managers see — and how do I avoid them?
• How do I develop "taste" and originality when AI can generate almost anything?
• Can I actually get live feedback on my own portfolio?

✨ Event Highlights:
🔍 Portfolio Breakdown: A deep look at what's widely considered 'top' designer portfolios — what's working, what doesn't, and the culture driving our biased perception
🤖 AI & Portfolio Building: How AI design tooling has changed our definition of design skills, leveling, and the shape of our roles — plus how to avoid the AI-look
🎤 Live Portfolio Reviews: Submit yours and get real-time feedback
💬 Panel Discussion & Q&A

🎙️Featured Speakers:
Hang Xu
Topic: "What Top Designer Portfolios Look Like in the Age of AI Tools"
Hang is a former staff-level designer turned design recruiter turned designer again. He writes on LinkedIn and runs Designer Friends, the largest in-person community in NYC for senior designers. In this session, he'll walk through a litany of what's widely considered to be 'top' designer portfolios and how AI design tooling has changed our definition and perception of design skills and leveling, as well as the shape of our roles as designers. We'll break down what's working, what doesn't, why we perceive it this way, and the culture that's driving this biased perception. If time allows, we'll also touch on building portfolio work with AI tooling and what we can do to avoid the AI-look.

Asuka Kondo
Topic: "AI × Design"
Asuka Kondo is a design director with extensive experience across venture capital, consulting, and advertising. Currently a Design Director at D4V, she supports over 54 companies with sustainable and innovative design strategies. Her prior roles include spearheading design initiatives at McKinsey & Company, where she led 100+ projects and trained over 1,000 colleagues in design thinking. With a strong passion for sustainability and strategic design, Asuka brings a unique perspective on how design leadership is evolving in the AI era.

Our Community: Where Curiosity Meets Opportunity, Theory Meets Practice 💫
We're a diverse, welcoming collective of:
👩‍💻 Product Managers
🎨 Designers & Creators
🧑‍💼 Builders & Entrepreneurs
🛠️ Developers & AI Engineers
📈 Marketers
📚 Students
✨ A supportive, judgment-free zone to exchange ideas and grow together
🙌 We'll check in with everyone beforehand to ensure a smooth, delightful experience!
Let's build portfolios that stand out — together. 🚀