Enhancing Design Decision-Making in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Era: A Communication-Centric Framework

This study explores the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in design decision-making, with a particular emphasis on its impact on human cognitive faculties, including creativity, critical thinking, and intuition. As AI- driven systems increasingly redefine traditional decision-making paradigms through data-driven automation, this research examines the interplay between AI and human sense-making within innovative design processes. Adopting a communication-centric framework, the study underscores the significance of effective collaboration between AI technologies and human designers in enhancing problem-solving capabilities across organizational and creative contexts. While AI enhances efficiency, pattern recognition, and technical rationality, human intuition remains essential for ensuring ethical, contextually aware, and creatively robust design solutions. Drawing on Karl Weick’s sense-making theory, this research provides a structured approach to understanding AI’s role in augmenting rather than supplanting human creativity. The findings highlight the necessity of interdisciplinary collaboration, AI transparency, and iterative feedback mechanisms to sustain a balanced integration of AI-driven insights with human-centered decision-making. Ultimately, this study contributes to the advancement of AI-assisted design frameworks that prioritize both efficiency and human innovation.