Pre-AI and post-AI design: balancing human Creativity and AI Tools in the Industrial Design Process

The advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping industrial design by enhancing creativity and productivity. This study explores the integration of AI tools—specifically ChatGPT, DALL·E, Midjourney, and Vizcom—into the industrial design process and attempts to apply them in undergraduate industrial design education. By emphasizing the distinction between Pre-AI (divergent phase) and Post-AI (convergent phase) design stages, based on the Design Council's Double Diamond model, the impact of AI-assisted methods on creativity and the design process is examined. Through two case studies involving a Golf Cart Project and a Conceptual Car Project, we analyze the balance between human creativity and AI technology to enhance innovation while maintaining the essential role of human judgment (design decision). The findings offer preliminary insights for transforming design education and practice, highlighting the importance of foundational design skills in the era of AI.