How did your journey toward combining Design Thinking and AI begin?
Honestly? It was curiosity – plain and simple. I’ve always been someone who likes to ask “What if...?” questions – especially when it comes to combining Design Thinking and emerging technologies. What if we could use AI in a way that expands how we think and what we're capable of? What if it made us more creative, more courageous, faster? I didn’t just want to understand it theoretically – I wanted to get hands-on. So I started integrating AI into my Design Thinking practice. First playfully, then more purposefully, and eventually strategically.
Today, I don’t see AI as a replacement for human creativity – but as a kind of co-creator. An invitation to think bigger, iterate faster, solve problems better. And to reflect more consciously. And that’s what continues to fascinate me.
How do you define the interaction between humans and technology in your work?
I see it more as a space for dialogue than a one-way street. It’s about how we design and use technology – not just how we consume it. Technology should serve us, inspire us, support us – but never replace our autonomy. At its best, it becomes a space of true collaboration where both sides – humans and machines – learn from each other.
Why is this interaction between humans and technology so challenging?
Because technology doesn’t intuitively understand what’s meaningful, valuable, or even ethically acceptable for humans. And because we often expect it to "just know what we mean" – which it doesn’t. That leads to misunderstandings, misapplications – or blind trust, which is just as risky.
How do humans challenge technology in return?
With our unpredictability! We’re spontaneous, contradictory, creative – and often delightfully illogical. For an AI that works with patterns and probabilities, that’s like whitewater rafting without a paddle. But that’s also what makes it exciting: we bring fresh perspectives, strange questions, and nonlinear thinking. This sometimes annoying “human-ness” isn’t a bug – it’s a feature. Because only through our surprises, detours, and inconsistencies does technology really learn. And that’s where true co-creation begins.
Is learning to work with AI similar to how we adapted to inventions like the telephone or television?
In some ways, yes. Those were also moments of massive change – new ways of communicating, new habits, even new fears. But AI is more interactive. It’s much closer to how we think – and it doesn’t just change the how, but also the what. We let it write texts, generate images, even support decisions. This isn’t just a new tool – it’s a new thinking partner.
How can someone truly integrate AI into their everyday work? Is there a checklist?
Absolutely – here’s one with a bit of Design Thinking flair:
- Understand: What can AI do – and what not?
- Observe: Where could AI be useful?
- Define goals: What do I want to achieve with it?
- Experiment: Do. Start small, make mistakes, learn fast.
- Build a toolset: Find the right tools for your workflow.
- Iterate: Develop routines, adjust, improve.
- Reflect: Where does AI actually help – and where does it get in the way?
- Share: Talk to others about your experiences.
- Stay grounded: Things move fast. You don’t have to chase every trend. Pick one good tool – ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, whatever suits you – and learn to use it really well. That’s a great start.
How do you balance curiosity with healthy skepticism when it comes to AI?
With a wink and a healthy dose of doubt. Curiosity is the engine – but skepticism is the airbag. I approach AI with the attitude: I think highly of you, AI – but I’m still going to fact-check you. And I ask myself regularly: Am I using this tool – or is it using me?
Can you share a good example of a successful human–tech interaction?
Absolutely – co-creation in creative problem-solving is one of my favorites. I’ve led many workshops and projects where teams work with AI – and it really takes Design Thinking to a new level. AI can act as an analyst, crunching data we could never process on our own. Or as a creative partner, sparking new ideas when we’re stuck. Or as a designer, helping us rapidly prototype and explore variations.
But the real magic happens when humans bring in their intentions, empathy, lived experience, and critical thinking – plus a healthy dose of humor and playfulness.
That’s when technology truly becomes part of the team.
What’s the most absurd experience you’ve had with AI?
It’s not one big moment – more like a collection of small, wonderfully absurd ones.
Like when AI helps me redecorate my courtyard patio. Or suggests a surprisingly good recipe based on whatever’s left in the fridge. Or gives me French learning feedback that sounds like it’s coming straight from a charming Parisian tutor.
On a larger scale, I’m especially inspired by how AI is creating momentum for long-overdue transformation in education and healthcare. That gives me real hope.
But there are also developments that leave me uneasy. Take something like SocialAI, for example – an app populated entirely by AI-generated “followers” who mirror your thoughts and react to your posts. It sounds innovative at first, but ends up feeling like an empty loop: high interaction, low substance. And it raises an important question: If we’re only talking to machines... who’s actually listening?
