Empowering design innovation using AI-generated content

Innovation in design is increasingly crucial to satisfy the growing demand for user-centric products and mitigate the effects caused by design uncertainties. Recently, the integration of AI technologies into product design processes has ignited unprecedented opportunities for design innovation, offering novel opportunities to augment processes and enhance design outcomes. AI-generated content (AIGC) represents emerging AI technologies that can efficiently generate quality design data across various modalities such as texts, images, audio, video and simulated sensor data. With such technology, designers are enabled to simplify and expedite the design process while ensuring the creation and production of high-quality design objects. This study aims to report the role of state-of-the-art AIGC technologies, how they will drive design innovation and identify their promising future applications. It delves into the vision, challenges, and opportunities presented by AIGC technologies, offering insights to inspire further research agenda. By leveraging various AIGC technologies, designers can unlock new avenues for creativity and productivity, ultimately shaping the future of design innovation.