Design & Co-Creation

Cohort 1

Cohort 2

Cohort 3

Shaping through design.

AI systems increasingly generate and act upon cultural outputs (language, images, narratives) yet often lack frameworks for interpreting the cultural complexity they encounter. As AI enters domains requiring contextual judgement rather than clear ground truth, traditional benchmarking breaks down. This research theme invites you to explore how participatory design, creative practice, and interpretive methodologies can shape AI systems that engage meaningfully with ambiguity, plurality, and diverse human values.

Current AI development risks homogenisation, where similar architectures trained on similar data reinforce narrow models of reasoning and representation. Your research could challenge this by investigating how to design AI systems that preserve multiple valid perspectives rather than producing monolithic outputs, how human-AI ensembles can enhance rather than replace human capabilities, or how communities can collaborate in building AI that serves their needs rather than having solutions imposed upon them.

Potential directions include developing interpretive evaluation frameworks that assess cultural nuance and contextual sensitivity, creating participatory methods that prevent ‘participation washing’ in AI development, exploring how generative AI transforms creative labour and agency, or designing human-AI collaboration patterns that amplify collective intelligence whilst preserving human autonomy. You might investigate how arts and humanities perspectives can inform AI architecture (not just interface design), how to ensure marginalised communities genuinely influence AI outcomes, or how to build systems where meaning is made collaboratively rather than dictated by algorithmic outputs.

This theme positions design, arts, humanities, and qualitative social sciences as integral to technical innovation. Whether your background is in design, computer science, creative arts, cultural studies, or social sciences, there are opportunities to contribute to AI that reflects the diversity, ambiguity, and richness of human experience rather than flattening it through narrow operational metrics.

Place-based and Regional Context

The North East offers distinctive opportunities for research in participatory AI design and creative industries innovation. The region’s creative sector contributes over £1.4 billion annually, with concentrations in screen industries, gaming, and digital media that provide real-world contexts for studying AI’s impact on creative work. Newcastle and Gateshead’s cultural quarter, including Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and Sage Gateshead, offers partnerships for exploring AI in arts and cultural production.

Regional challenges around post-industrial transition, digital exclusion, and economic inequality create urgent needs for citizen-centred AI approaches. Projects could engage with Newcastle City Council’s digital transformation initiatives, collaborate with Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums on AI for cultural heritage, or work with creative organisations like Wubbleyou on participatory design for diverse communities. The region’s strong tradition of participatory design and community engagement, exemplified by Digital Civics work, provides methodological foundations for research that genuinely includes marginalised voices in shaping AI futures.

Relevant Partner Organisations

This theme connects with partners across creative industries, public sector innovation, and community organisations. Creative sector partners including Wubbleyou, Seymour-Powell, and Sunderland Software City offer contexts for studying AI in design practice and digital production. Public sector partners such as Newcastle City Council, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, and North of Tyne Combined Authority provide opportunities for participatory AI governance research.

Technology partners including Nokia Bell Labs, Google, and Thoughtworks bring expertise in AI development that can be combined with arts and humanities perspectives. Community organisations like VONNE and Innovation SuperNetwork enable engagement with diverse publics in co-designing AI systems. These partnerships support research spanning from creative AI tools to democratic governance, ensuring your work addresses real-world challenges whilst maintaining academic rigour.

Google Innovation SuperNetwork Newcastle City Council Nokia Bell Labs North East Combined Authority North East Museums seymourpowell Sunderland Software City Thoughtworks VONNE Wubbleyou