Generative AI to Design Robots
Generative AI tools as Platforms for the Creative Process
The last two years have been landmark years for Generative AI with the launch of tools like ChatGPT for generating text and Stable Diffusion and Midjourney for generating images. This rise in popularity has spread beyond specialized circles, attracting not only tech enthusiasts but also academics interested in utilizing Gen AI for their creative endeavours.
According to Dr Didem Gurdur Broo, from Uppsala University, Gen AI platforms like Stable Diffusion and Midjourney has helped her in the creative process of building a Jellyfish robot. In this article in IEEE Spectrum, she explains how these platforms can open the researchers mind to different aspects of designing a robot. In her own words,
“Seeing the different materials and compositions in the AI-generated images and the abstract, artistic style encouraged us toward more whimsical and creative thinking about the robot’s overall form and locomotion”.
In the article, she explains several advantages such as inspiration, exploration, and rapid prototyping. Also, she states that the designer need to find a balance between specificity and surprise, which is something we all tend to encounter when using these tools.
In addition, she talks about how the limitations and biases of training data is an issue in the process while saying that unpredictability is something that rewards the creative process while stating the requirement for more control when using Gen AI because of the ethical issues. She also talks about the other issues such as misinformation and intellectual property rights and argue that there should be reasonable measures in place to mitigate them.
I myself find that I am constantly seeking the help of Gen AI tools for inspiration. It has become a tool that accelerate the creative process for me. In a way one can argue that it hinders the ability to engage in creative activities by doing the creation itself. However, I think as all things in life we have to think about this or use this in a balanced way. While the Gen AI tools accelerate the creative process we should not use the entirety of the generated content in our creations. We must shape it in our own ways for it to make an impact. Also, when using these tools we must keep in mind that they can be biased and direct our thoughts in this biased direction. I believe if we can balance our thoughts and use inspiration from Gen AI tools we can create creative content in a accelerated phase.
What do you think? What is your experience in using Gen AI for the creative process? Let me know in the comment section.
