Nowadays, artificial intelligence tools are available and accessible for the first time on a large scale; they are rapidly evolving and are potentially useful for implementing participatory design with visual methods and tools. The motivation behind the production of this article comes from the fact that design, when everyone designs facilitated by experts and artificial intelligence, is becoming possible in a profoundly different way with the arrival of new tools based on diffusion models (commonly called AI tools). This study aims to highlight the usefulness and risks of using diffusion models for the creation of images—commonly identified in tools based on Artificial Intelligence (AI)—starting from textual prompts built into participatory work tables with “participatory action research” methodologies. In particular, the objective is to examine the usefulness of Midjourney—among the tools that use diffusion models for the generation of photorealistic and/or artistic images—within the methodology called World Café (or Café to Go). Subsequently, the testing experience of Midjourney within the World Café methodology is reported. This experimentation took place on April 15, 2023, at the “Combo Space” in Turin (Italy) as part of the Italian Youth Forum 2023 of the Italian Youth Association for the ‘UNESCO (AIGU). The testing involved the young AIGU members and different realities (local and otherwise) involved in urban regeneration and artistic interventions in urban areas: “Torino Creativa” with the representation of Alessandro Iemulo, “Base Milano” with the representation of Daniela Cattaneo, and Sardinia Research (Sardegna Ricerche) with the representation of Drs. Sandra Ennas and Carla Zuddas. The inclusion of the Midjourney tool within the co-visioning process is illustrated step by step and commented on so that this action can also be replicated and declined on different scales. Finally, the paper summarizes reflections on the usefulness and risks of these AI-based tools that can facilitate participatory co-visioning phases for urban regeneration interventions.

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Artificial Intelligence and Co-Visioning: The Use of Images Generated with AI Tools in Participatory Planning

  • Pietro Bova

摘要

Nowadays, artificial intelligence tools are available and accessible for the first time on a large scale; they are rapidly evolving and are potentially useful for implementing participatory design with visual methods and tools. The motivation behind the production of this article comes from the fact that design, when everyone designs facilitated by experts and artificial intelligence, is becoming possible in a profoundly different way with the arrival of new tools based on diffusion models (commonly called AI tools). This study aims to highlight the usefulness and risks of using diffusion models for the creation of images—commonly identified in tools based on Artificial Intelligence (AI)—starting from textual prompts built into participatory work tables with “participatory action research” methodologies. In particular, the objective is to examine the usefulness of Midjourney—among the tools that use diffusion models for the generation of photorealistic and/or artistic images—within the methodology called World Café (or Café to Go). Subsequently, the testing experience of Midjourney within the World Café methodology is reported. This experimentation took place on April 15, 2023, at the “Combo Space” in Turin (Italy) as part of the Italian Youth Forum 2023 of the Italian Youth Association for the ‘UNESCO (AIGU). The testing involved the young AIGU members and different realities (local and otherwise) involved in urban regeneration and artistic interventions in urban areas: “Torino Creativa” with the representation of Alessandro Iemulo, “Base Milano” with the representation of Daniela Cattaneo, and Sardinia Research (Sardegna Ricerche) with the representation of Drs. Sandra Ennas and Carla Zuddas. The inclusion of the Midjourney tool within the co-visioning process is illustrated step by step and commented on so that this action can also be replicated and declined on different scales. Finally, the paper summarizes reflections on the usefulness and risks of these AI-based tools that can facilitate participatory co-visioning phases for urban regeneration interventions.