From Empathy to Prototype With AI as a Thinking Partner

Design thinking asks students to be curious, empathetic, and creative. But, these skills take practice, and meaningful practice requires access to real experiences. This presentation explores how generative AI can serve as a thinking partner for students at every phase of the design thinking process, from empathizing with users to prototyping solutions. Rather than using AI to shortcut the work, students are positioned as designers who leverage AI to expand their thinking, stress-test their ideas, and deepen their reflection. Beginning with a custom AI tool that simulates user interviews in the empathy phase, this session maps out a vision for AI-supported learning across all five design thinking phases. Attendees will leave with concrete ideas for integrating generative AI into project-based STEAM learning in ways that spark curiosity, elevate student agency, and prioritize authentic experience over easy answers.