Examining the Effect of ChatGPT on Small Group Ideation Discussions

In discussions among residents, such as those in town planning workshops, participants often engage in conversations and propose ideas for community development based on given themes. However, due to differences in knowledge about the themes among participants, establishing a common understanding takes time, and there is a limited timeframe for considering and consolidating ideas. As a result, facilitators play a crucial role in guiding the discussions among residents, but there is a shortage of facilitators relative to the opportunities for discussions. Consequently, it is challenging for participants alone to consolidate high-quality ideas. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT are anticipated to be valuable in supporting idea generation. On the other hand, there is a risk of developing ideas overly dependent on generative AI if used improperly. Therefore, it is crucial to first understand the effect that generative AI can have on group discussions. In this paper, we conduct a user study to examine effective usages of ChatGPT during small group ideation discussions. From this experiment, we discovered and categorized both the positive and negative effects from utilizing ChatGPT.