The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into service design has transformed creative workflows, raising critical questions about the evolving relationship between AI and human designers. This study explored whether AI primarily functions as a tool for assisting designers or whether designers increasingly supervise AI-driven processes. An analysis of AI applications in research, ideation, prototyping and system mapping revealed that, while AI enhances efficiency and automates repetitive tasks, it lacks the contextual awareness, creativity and ethical reasoning necessary for autonomous design decision-making. Designers remain central to ensuring user centred innovation, refining AI-generated outputs and mitigating biases. This study underscores the need for human supervision in AI-integrated workflows and advocates for a hybrid intelligence model in which AI augments human creativity instead of substitute it. These insights contribute to discussions on AI–human collaboration, emphasising ethical and strategic considerations in future AI-driven service design practices.
Hyunyim Park (Mon,) studied this question.
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