With support from Kumar Ahir and the XDi Design Cisco Bengaluru, conducted the 2nd in-person AI-enabled Design Thinking workshop. (The previous one was conducted at IIT Kanpur, as the first ever AI-facilitated.

This was part of a series of experiements I have been exploring with some of the custom-tuned GPT models to explore the possibility of creating a non-evasive approach to integrate AI into In-person Design Thinking sessions, and creating a collection of tools clubbed under a name "CoSpace" - meaning tools for collaborative space for human-AI interaction. However this collaboration is not expected for in virtual white board, rather the approach was a baby step towards AI collaborating with human participants in a physical space during Design Thinking sessions.

The participants were asked to participate in a conventional manner using post-its and flip-chart canvases. The session was focused on addressing the infamous Bangalore's water crisis. Leveraging a variety of methods including AEIOU, Empathy Mapping, Journey Maps and prototyping paper wireframes, we delved deep into understanding the issue and crafting impactful solutions. During the process, AI efficiently helped in streamling the process, reducing manual effort and enhancing team's problem-solving capabilities.

Design thinking stands as a pivotal framework for fostering innovation, providing a structured approach that emphasizes empathy, creativity, and iteration to tackle complex problems effectively. Widely adopted across industries, its human-centered methodology has become a cornerstone for organizations striving to develop user-centric solutions that resonate with their target audience. In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) has also become pivotal in var-ious aspects of problem-solving and innovation. As Design Thinking sessions thrive on collaboration, requiring active participation from both participants and facilitators to foster creativity and drive problem-solving, can AI act as a participant and/or a facilitator, en-riching the collaborative process by providing valuable contributions to the brainstorming and decision-making phases? The proposed workshop will focus into the theme of partnering with AI as a collaborative ally within the framework of Design Thinking sessions. The workshop aims to facilitate a deeper understanding of AI's role as a fa-cilitator in the Design-Thinking especially in the stages of Empathize and Ideation stages. Participants will be introduced to custom-developed AI software tailored to augment the Design Thinking process. Through a series of interactive exercises and real-world case studies, attendees will embark on a journey to harness the collective intelligence of both human and ma-chine.