AI as a co-creator and a design material: Transforming the design process

Recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have created new opportunities for incorporating AI into creative activities. Consequently, AI has become an increasingly significant tool in the design process, changing traditional workflows. This paper explores AI's role as both a co-creator and a design material, focusing on its impact on the ideation and evaluation stages of the design process. Through a transdisciplinary literature review, this study reveals that AI enhances creativity by providing inspirational stimuli, and supports evaluation and decision-making. However, it also introduces complexities such as cognitive overload and dependency. This paper emphasizes the need for design education reform, and training students as Designer Arbiters and Integrators to effectively collaborate with AI in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. • AI's role as co-creator and design material brings opportunities and challenges. • AI enhances creativity by promoting cognitive flexibility in the design process. • Cognitive overload and dependency are risks of over-relying on AI in design. • Design education must train students to be “Designer Arbiters” and “Integrators”.