Prof. Daniel Graff: As AI Gets Better, Are We Getting Worse?

Professor Daniel Graff leads design and AI research at Tongji University's College of Design and Innovation.  He is a Distinguished Research Fellow, educator, and co-author of the 2026 book "Design Thinking with Artificial Intelligence".  With a background spanning design innovation, business, and emerging technology, his work explores how humans design, collaborate, and create alongside artificial intelligence.  Today we talk about creativity, critical thinking and the tension between technology and human input.

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(00:00) Meet Professor Daniel Graff

(01:32) Will people reject AI-made products?

(05:43) Can AI replace human creativity?

(16:08) Why one-shot prompting fails

(24:00) The next phase of AI

(32:01) The AI boom: scary and exciting

(37:37) Faster work, cheaper output, more sameness

(43:19) Creativity requires taking risks

(55:15) China and Europe approach AI differently

(01:04:01) AI saves time, then creates more work