Designing Trusted Human-AI Relationships, Richer Human Stories

In this insightful and candid session from the Artificial Unintelligence Conference 2025, Kristin de la Fuente explores what it really means to teach creativity in an era of AI-powered design. Drawing from her workshops with designers and students, she unpacks the “messy middle” — the uncertain, iterative space between learning a tool and producing something meaningful.

Kristin challenges the notion that mastering AI is about perfect prompts or technical skill. Instead, she reframes it as a collaborative process, where designers learn to balance curiosity, control, and co-creation with intelligent systems. Through reflection and real-world examples, she highlights how embracing imperfection can spark more authentic, human-centered creativity.

Key themes include:

Why the “messy middle” is where the real creative learning happens

The difference between teaching AI tools and teaching collaboration

How anthropomorphic bias shapes our perception of generative systems

Turning AI’s limitations into opportunities for serendipity and discovery

Redefining creativity as shared agency between humans and machines