Evolving scenarios of AI in the design practice

This contribution concentrates on how the design work may be enhanced by generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools as well as the roles that designers and AI play in their collaboration, considering ethics of human-machine interaction. Recent developments in AI tools foreshadow fundamental changes in the future of the design practice, with concurrent effects including both an increase in the efficiency of creative professionals, and the democratisation of producing creative outputs by non-experts. While AI can be a component of designed solutions, this research focuses the design process itself, examining how AI can be a transformative force of not only for content generation, but also user research and conceptual development. Therefore, we aim to analyse existing generative AI tools for designers and describe potential "AI + Designer" strategies within currently widespread workflows. Initially, this article explores the potential of AI in creative fields, where the authors identify possible roles of AI to improve design work, such as AI as mediator between creative languages, or AI as a facilitator of user participation. Subsequently, the research describes a mapping and benchmarking activity of available AI tools for Designers, categorised by output type (3D, Graphics, Raster, Text, Utility, Vector, Audio & Video) and critically assessed according to the stages of the Design thinking process (Empathise & Define, Ideate, Prototype & Implement, and Validate). The mapping is organised to provide a multi-level perspective, and is divided into four main sections: a list with output-based clusters, info sheets (a product specification document), a map (a visual summary of the tools), and an introduction page. To evaluate the effectiveness of the AI tools during the design process, these were tested by replicating the processes of several projects and their output obtained by repeating tasks using AI tools. Thus, the mapping and testing showed interesting potential of AI tools in some phases of Design Thinking, but also a limited utility in the phases of empathising and validation. Ultimately, the study focuses on the opportunities and issues of human-machine interaction and raises questions about ethics and copyright, bias and discrimination, errors and the impact on creative processes. The potentially transcendental power of AI over the thinking process poses urgent risks and opportunities, evident already today in various creative domains. Therefore it is crucial to build a strategic foresight and hence a positive vision of AI-enhanced design in order to understand how the role of the designer will change. Among possible scenarios, we conclude with the hope that the innovation model of "AI + Designer" can alleviate technical tasks, help connecting knowledge areas, and understand better people, this enforcing the Designer in the role of "sensemaker" who shapes the culture of everyday life.