AI and the Design Process
AI as a collaborative partner and critical infrastructure during the ‘Challenge’ and ‘problem framing’ phases of Design Thinking
Abstract
Integrating Artificial Intelligence into design processes is redefining not only tools and operational practices, but also the very epistemological conditions of knowledge in design. This paper critically analyses AI as a dialogical agent in the research and inspiration phase of Design Thinking, moving beyond a purely instrumental or generative view. Building on the Enhanced (AI)nspiration methodology and experiments using text-to-image systems in the creative phase, the paper explores AI's role as a cognitive device that can amplify systemic exploration, problem formulation, and the anticipation of design consequences. By integrating Systems Thinking, Humanity-Centered Design, and Research through Design (RtD), the paper proposes a perspective that redefines creativity as a co-evolutionary process between human and machine, highlighting its tensions, limitations, and potential. Rather than rushing to produce solutions, this work proposes interpreting AI as an epistemic infrastructure within RtD, whose value lies in its ability to challenge assumptions, broaden the problem's scope, and facilitate a critical formulation of project questions.
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