Creative activity is often judged by its output, but the more important mechanisms may actually be in how the mind sees and represents the world, how it engages with these representations and with other minds. Machine learning provides a set of methods that enable machines to interpret patterns in data, surpassing many human capabilities, and thereby have a unique perspective in engaging in design. This talk will discuss how the machine can participate in the creative process and reflect on how artificial intelligence may thereby shape the future of design.

Sean Hanna is Professor of Design Computing at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, and a member of the UCL Space Syntax Laboratory, one of the UK’s leading groups in built environment research. His research is primarily in developing computational methods for dealing with complexity in design and the built environment, including the comparative modelling of space, and the use of machine learning and optimisation techniques for the design and fabrication of structures.