The Role of Design in the Future of Human-AI Interaction

Motivation

Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly embedded in our daily lives—shaping work, education, healthcare, and social interactions. As these systems grow in complexity and reach, designing responsible, reliable, and sustainable Human-AI Interaction (HAI) becomes more critical than ever.

Despite the societal importance of these systems, AI is often developed without adequate attention to human needs and interaction design principles. This can result in opaque, untrustworthy, or ethically problematic technologies. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and design research offer powerful tools for addressing these issues, yet they remain underrepresented in the broader AI discourse.

This workshop seeks to highlight the essential role of design and interaction research in guiding AI development toward human-centered futures. It contributes to the larger theme of Aarhus 2025 —Computing (X) Crisis— by exploring how design can help shape computing systems that support trust, inclusion, democracy, and sustainability in times of global uncertainty.

Topics & Themes

• Design guidelines for ethical and human-centered AI
• Human-AI collaboration and augmentation in the workplace
• Explainability, trust, and transparency in AI systems
• Social and environmental impacts of AI technologies
• Cross-disciplinary design strategies and methods
• Frameworks and tools for responsible innovation

Participants will engage in collaborative discussions and hands-on design sprints to imagine AI systems that are inclusive, explainable, and empowering rather than opaque or displacing.

Call for Participation

We invite researchers and practitioners from design, HCI, AI, social science, and ethics to join this workshop. Submit a 2–4 page position paper in PDF by email to aarhus2025@ubicomp.net .

• We have a rolling deadline - submit now! We plan to provide a response within one week
• After July 1st, submission may close if capacity is reached
• Early registration deadline for Aarhus 2025 is June 20, 2025
• Confernece registration includes a workshop participation; one-day workshop-only regsistration are available.

Publication

Accepted submissions / position papers will be published on the website. We plan to offer the opprtunity to publish a revised versions with input from the workshop in a CEUR workshop proceedings volume. Workshop outcomes will also be summarized online.

Workshop Document

You can download the full workshop description and program here:

Preliminary Program

The workshop includes keynotes, hands-on design sprints, and collaborative discussions. See full details in the workshop document.

• 09:00–09:30 — Registration & Welcome
  Participants receive workshop kits. Icebreaker activity: "AI in My Life" – brief sharing of AI experiences.
• 09:30–10:30 — Keynote & Discussion
  Presentation on AI challenges (ethics, trust, bias). Breakout groups identify key challenges and design implications.
• 10:30–11:00 — Morning Coffee Break
• 11:00–12:30 — Design Sprint 1: Dark Scenarios
  Design an AI system that appears helpful but misleads users. Create paper prototypes and discuss implications for trust and transparency.
• 12:30–13:30 — Lunch Break
• 13:30–15:00 — Design Sprint 2: AI & Future of Work
  Develop an AI system that supports human work. Focus on augmentation, collaboration, and ethical deployment.
• 15:00–15:30 — Afternoon Coffee Break
• 15:30–17:00 — Group Discussion: Social & Environmental Impact
  Map AI’s influence on society and sustainability. Design strategies to mitigate negative effects.
• 17:00–17:30 — Wrap-up & Final Reflections
  Summary of outcomes, participant insights, and next steps for community sharing and publications.

Organizers

Janin Koch
Permanent researcher at Inria Lille. Focuses on collaborative AI and interactive design tools for co-creative processes.

Wendy E. Mackay
Research Director at Inria and head of the ExSitu research group at Université Paris-Saclay. Pioneer in human-computer partnerships and early-stage design methods.

Albrecht Schmidt
Professor of Computer Science at LMU Munich. Specializes in ubiquitous computing, intelligent interfaces, and interaction with foundation models.

If you have further questions, please contact us at: aarhus2025@ubicomp.net