A task-oriented framework for generative AI in design

The intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Design disciplines such as Architecture, Urban Planning, Engineering and Product Design has been a longstanding pursuit, with Generative AI (GAI) ushering in a new era of possibilities. The research presented here explores how GAI can enhance creativity and assist Design practitioners with tasks to create products such as, but not limited to, renderings, concepts, construction techniques, materials, data analytics or maps. We apply a framework of combinational, exploratory and transformational creativity to organize how recent advancements in GAI can support each creative category. We propose a conceptual framework of GAI towards transformational creativity, and identify real-world examples to demonstrate GAI's impact, such as transforming sketches into detailed renders, facilitating real-time 3D model generation, predicting trends through analytics and creating images or reports via text prompts. Our work envisions a future where GAI becomes a real-time collaborator to complete certain automated tasks while liberating Designers to focus on transformational innovation.