ASSESSING THE UNDERSTANDING OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IMPLICATIONS OF AI USE IN PRODUCT DESIGN UNDERGRADUATES

This paper examines the understanding that current first year undergraduate product design students have of three key topics: intellectual property (IP); artificial intelligence (AI) technology in product design; and the intellectual property issues related to the use of AI technology. 62 students were asked 15 questions relating to these topics resulting in various findings. This study underscores the need to deepen and broaden product design degree course curricula on IP and AI tool use, to meet the uptick in AI tool use in design practice to preserve an alignment with the expectations of accrediting bodies and students.