The AI-Empowered Designer : Exploring the Potential of Generative AI in Digital Product Design

Sammanfattning: The integration of generative AI in the design industry has gained attention for its potential to enhance productivity and spark creativity. However, there is a gap in how to effectively incorporate the technology into the early stages of the design process. To address this, interviews were conducted with digital product designers at a consultancy agency to understand their current approaches to early-stage design and attitudes toward using generative AI tools into it. Findings from the interviews were used to inform the development of use case scenarios of generative AI tools in early design, which was later evaluated with the participants through observational interviews using ChatGPT and Midjourney. These findings indicate that digital product designers view generative AI as a valuable tool that can streamline the design process, aid in research and exploration, support communication and documentation, and inspire creativity. However, concerns were raised regarding trustworthiness, reliability, biased training data, and limited creativity and human nuance in these models. Designers believe in using AI-generated output as a guide, support, or inspiration, rather than a substitute for their own creativity and critical thinking, which enables an approach that allows for a mindful but effective interaction with generative AI tools.