The Creative Assistant

This week Andrew welcomes Michael Villegas, Design Director at IA Interior Architects, for a conversation that begins in an unexpected place: a suburban mall in the 90s. From arcades and Hot Topic to skateboarding and early experiments in Microsoft Paint, Michael traces how those early creative influences shaped the way he thinks about technology and design today.

Now working at the intersection of architecture, art, and emerging technology, Michael has become a leading voice inside IA’s exploration of generative AI. But his perspective is clear: AI isn’t an easy button—it’s a creative assistant.

Andrew and Michael discuss how AI is helping design teams experiment faster, communicate ideas more clearly with clients, and even build custom tools to solve highly specific design challenges, while Producer Rob keeps everyone on their team with a few Limp Bizkit lyrics…

Connect with our host, Andrew Lane, on LinkedIn

Follow Michael Villegas on LinkedIn

References and resources

IA Interior Architects

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This episode of Barriers to Entry was produced by Rob Schulte.

This season of Barriers to Entry is sponsored by Arktura.

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