Generative AI-enhanced human-AI collaborative conceptual design: A systematic literature review

Cong Fang; Yujie Zhu; Le Fang; Yonghao Long; Huan Lin; Yangfan Cong; Stephen Jia Wang

doi:10.1016/j.destud.2025.101300

Generative AI-enhanced human-AI collaborative conceptual design: A systematic literature review

Cong Fang, Yujie Zhu, Le Fang, Yonghao Long, Huan Lin, Yangfan Cong, Stephen Jia Wang (Corresponding Author)

Research output: Journal article publication › Review article › Academic research › peer-review

Abstract

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has gained increasing attention, enhancing design productivity by elevating creativity within the conceptual design process. Despite these advancements, how GenAI will influence the conceptual design process and methods remains ambiguous, hindering its full potential. This study introduces a systematic literature review to explore GenAI's role in the conceptual design process, emphasizing the GenAI-human interactions and collaborations. We offer a critical evaluation of the current state of GenAI-human collaboration, identifying challenges, opportunities, and future research directions to leverage GenAI's design potential for enhancing creativity in conceptual design practice. Finally, a Generative AI Enhanced Conceptual Design framework was further proposed to clarify the potential collaborative design process, which can serve as a guideline for effective human-AI collaboration in the conceptual design process.

Original language	English
Article number	101300
Journal	Design Studies
Volume	97
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.destud.2025.101300
Publication status	Published - Mar 2025

Keywords

AI-enhanced design
Conceptual design
Design methodology
Design process
Human-AI collaboration

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Architecture
Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
General Engineering
General Social Sciences
Computer Science Applications
Artificial Intelligence

More information

10.1016/j.destud.2025.101300

Cite this

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title = "Generative AI-enhanced human-AI collaborative conceptual design: A systematic literature review",

abstract = "Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has gained increasing attention, enhancing design productivity by elevating creativity within the conceptual design process. Despite these advancements, how GenAI will influence the conceptual design process and methods remains ambiguous, hindering its full potential. This study introduces a systematic literature review to explore GenAI's role in the conceptual design process, emphasizing the GenAI-human interactions and collaborations. We offer a critical evaluation of the current state of GenAI-human collaboration, identifying challenges, opportunities, and future research directions to leverage GenAI's design potential for enhancing creativity in conceptual design practice. Finally, a Generative AI Enhanced Conceptual Design framework was further proposed to clarify the potential collaborative design process, which can serve as a guideline for effective human-AI collaboration in the conceptual design process.",

keywords = "AI-enhanced design, Conceptual design, Design methodology, Design process, Human-AI collaboration",

author = "Cong Fang and Yujie Zhu and Le Fang and Yonghao Long and Huan Lin and Yangfan Cong and Wang, {Stephen Jia}",

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doi = "10.1016/j.destud.2025.101300",

language = "English",

volume = "97",

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T2 - A systematic literature review

AU - Fang, Cong

AU - Zhu, Yujie

AU - Fang, Le

AU - Long, Yonghao

AU - Lin, Huan

AU - Cong, Yangfan

AU - Wang, Stephen Jia

PY - 2025/3

Y1 - 2025/3

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AB - Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has gained increasing attention, enhancing design productivity by elevating creativity within the conceptual design process. Despite these advancements, how GenAI will influence the conceptual design process and methods remains ambiguous, hindering its full potential. This study introduces a systematic literature review to explore GenAI's role in the conceptual design process, emphasizing the GenAI-human interactions and collaborations. We offer a critical evaluation of the current state of GenAI-human collaboration, identifying challenges, opportunities, and future research directions to leverage GenAI's design potential for enhancing creativity in conceptual design practice. Finally, a Generative AI Enhanced Conceptual Design framework was further proposed to clarify the potential collaborative design process, which can serve as a guideline for effective human-AI collaboration in the conceptual design process.

KW - AI-enhanced design

KW - Conceptual design

KW - Design methodology

KW - Design process

KW - Human-AI collaboration

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U2 - 10.1016/j.destud.2025.101300

DO - 10.1016/j.destud.2025.101300

M3 - Review article

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JF - Design Studies

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ER -

Generative AI-enhanced human-AI collaborative conceptual design: A systematic literature review

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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