AI-deation workshop

The results of GenAI design tools, such as Midjourney and ChatGPT tend to be derivative often producing the illusion of newness or sameness, and potentially unethical because AI technologies rely on training data drawn from the web without referencing the sources. Yet the use of GenAI is now commonplace and used by designers to generate and develop ideas. That is, ChatGPT appears to be working like a co-designer for bouncing ideas creating content and narratives in texts and images. But how would this collaboration between human and machine perform in the ideation workshop? Well, instead of banning GenAI in the workshop, using it would be a requirement. But with the important proviso not to take the results for granted. That is, GenAI outputs should be questioned, modified or even destroyed. This approach to ideation is of a critical nature that reflects how algorithmic calculations regarding speed and efficiency risk leaving out thoughtful thinking and humane attitudes, criteria that also may recall speculative design, that is, design not necessarily commercially-driven or aimed at problem solving*. Sources: https://bravedog.co.uk/journal/ai-didnt-kill-designers-killed-lazy-design  https://borism.medium.com/design-against-the-machine-72648374aec1 *Speculative Design (or Critical Design’) is an approach to design developed at the Royal College or Art London. It grew out of concerns with the uncritical drive behind technological progress, when technology is always assumed to be good and capable of solving any problem.