[Paper]
This paper explores the potential for utilizing generative AI models in group-focused co-creative frameworks to enhance problem solving and ideation in business innovation and co-creation contexts, and proposes a novel prompting technique for conversational generative AI agents which employ methods inspired by traditional ‘human-to-human’ facilitation and instruction to enable active contribution to Design Thinking, a co-creative framework. Through experiments using this prompting technique, we gather evidence that conversational generative transformers (i.e. ChatGPT) have the capability to contribute context-specific, useful, and creative input into Design Thinking activities. We also discuss the potential benefits, limitations, and risks associated with using generative AI models in co-creative ideation and provide recommendations for future research.