Grounds for Concern
AUDIO & NARRATIVE
Everyone seems to have an opinion about AI. But what could designers learn about AI by stepping outside of design?
Six academics. Seven conversations. One podcast. And, eventually, a wall full of public opinion.
Duration
10 weeks
ADVISED BY
Bill Flora
Chad P. Hall
Team
Lia Chon
MY ROLE
Podcast Hosting
Qualitative Research
Script Writing
Audio Editing
Project Management
TOOLS
Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Audition
Claude/ChatGPT
Books on AI
Figma
PLAY TRAILER
0:00/1:34
Grounds for Concern
Grounds for Concern
AUDIO & NARRATIVE
Everyone seems to have an opinion about AI. But what could designers learn about AI by stepping outside of design?
Six academics. Seven conversations. One podcast. And, eventually, a wall full of public opinion.
PLAY TRAILER
0:00/1:34
MY ROLE
Podcast Hosting
Qualitative Research
Script Writing
Audio Editing
TOOLS
Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Audition
Claude/ChatGPT
Figma
Duration
10 weeks
ADVISED BY
Bill Flora
Chad P. Hall
Team
Lia Chon
MY ROLE
Podcast Hosting
Qualitative Research
Script Writing
Audio Editing
Project Management
TOOLS
Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Audition
Claude/ChatGPT
Figma
“I worry that the cons of AI are going to
far outweigh the pros. Obviously it's inevitable,
but I just think it's terrible.”
“I worry that the cons of AI are going to
far outweigh the pros. Obviously it's inevitable, but I just think it's terrible.”
“I worry that the cons of AI are going to
far outweigh the pros. Obviously it's inevitable, but I just think it's terrible.”
sophomore in industrial design
sophomore in industrial design
“AI is inevitable. It makes more sense
to learn how to use it and stay competitive
than to resist it and fall behind.”
“AI is inevitable. It makes more sense
to learn how to use it and stay competitive than to resist it and fall behind.”
“AI is inevitable. It makes more sense
to learn how to use it and stay competitive than to resist it and fall behind.”
SENIOR IN INTERACTION DESIGN
SENIOR IN INTERACTION DESIGN
THE CHALLENGE
THE CHALLENGE
Design students are
at a crossroads…
Design students are
at a crossroads…
Design students are
at a crossroads…
We kept hearing two opposing messages: learn to use AI or resist it. But neither perspective gave us much room to ask why, when, or how AI should actually fit into design practice.
We kept hearing two opposing messages: learn to use AI or resist it. But neither perspective gave us much room to ask why, when, or how AI should actually fit into design practice.
More importantly, we realized that students didn't have many places to have those conversations. An uninformed designer is a danger to themselves and the world around them.
More importantly, we realized that students didn't have many places to have those conversations. An uninformed designer is a danger to themselves and the world around them.
We decided to carve out our own space.
We decided to carve out our own space.
How might interdisciplinary
perspectives help design students think more intentionally about AI?
How might interdisciplinary
perspectives help design students think more intentionally about AI?
How might interdisciplinary
perspectives help design students think more intentionally about AI?
CENTRAL RESEARCH QUESTION
CENTRAL RESEARCH QUESTION
PRELIMINARY RESEARCH
PRELIMINARY RESEARCH
Who might we learn from?
Who might we learn from?
Who might we learn from?
We looked across the University of Washington for academics whose work could challenge the way designers may think about AI.
We looked across the University of Washington for academics whose work could challenge the way designers may think about AI.
I researched and sourced six professors spanning linguistics, law, psychology, media studies, and design. Before recording, I met with each guest to introduce the project, learn more about them, and make sure we had a meaningful place to start.
I researched and sourced six professors spanning linguistics, law, psychology, media studies, and design. Before recording, I met with each guest to introduce the project, learn more about them, and make sure we had a meaningful place to start.
Here's the incredible crew we were able to find!
Here's the incredible crew we were able to find!
CRAFTING CONVERSATIONs
CRAFTING CONVERSATIONs
Six academics, six coffee chats, and one conversation about AI.
Six academics, six coffee chats, and one conversation about AI.
Six academics, six coffee chats, and one conversation about AI.
I hosted semi-structured conversations tailored to each professor's expertise, letting their work guide where the discussion went.
I hosted semi-structured conversations tailored to each professor's expertise, letting their work guide where the discussion went.
Each conversation started with a simple premise: sit down, have a coffee, and talk. We began with the same get-to-know-you segment, and then evolved to the expertise and perspective of each guest on AI in their respective fields, and concluding with advice they might currently give to the student of design.
Each conversation started with a simple premise: sit down, have a coffee, and talk. We began with the same get-to-know-you segment, and then evolved to the expertise and perspective of each guest on AI in their respective fields, and concluding with advice they might currently give to the student of design.
THE PODCASTING PROCESS
THE PODCASTING PROCESS
“The challenge with AI is that there's no friction.
You're missing out on your own thoughts pointing
you to what might be a good idea.”
“The challenge with AI is that there's no friction. You're missing out on your own thoughts pointing you to what might be a good idea.”
“The challenge with AI is that there's no friction.
You're missing out on your own thoughts pointing
you to what might be a good idea.”
LEANING INTO THE FRICTION WITH AUDREY DESJARDINS
LEANING INTO THE FRICTION WITH AUDREY DESJARDINS
“Today's graduates have the potential
to be an AI native [and] develop skills at
the starting point of their career.”
“Today's graduates have the potential to be an AI native [and] develop skills at the starting point of their career.”
“Today's graduates have the potential
to be an AI native [and] develop skills at
the starting point of their career.”
THE POTENTIAL OF THE AI NATIVE WITH JIM DANTZLER
THE POTENTIAL OF THE AI NATIVE WITH JIM DANTZLER
QUALITATIVE SYNTHESIS
QUALITATIVE SYNTHESIS
The Grounds for Concern Podcast Series
The Grounds for Concern Podcast Series
The Grounds for Concern Podcast Series
I edited all of the audio, turning the conversations into a podcast series that could extend beyond the people we interviewed.
I edited all of the audio, turning the conversations into a podcast series that could extend beyond the people we interviewed.
Each episode gave students an accessible entry point into a different dimension of AI, while retaining the core of what made the original conversations interesting.
Each episode gave students an accessible entry point into a different dimension of AI, while retaining the core of what made the original conversations interesting.
The result was Grounds for Concern. Scroll through our website for more information on each individual episode.
The result was Grounds for Concern. Scroll through our website for more information on each individual episode.
The result was Grounds for Concern. Scroll through our website for more information on each individual episode.
EXHIBITION CURATION
EXHIBITION CURATION
Bringing our community into the conversation.
Bringing our community into the conversation.
Bringing our community into the conversation.
Bringing our community into the conversation.
After six conversations with academics, we wanted to know where our own community stood. We crafted an interactive exhibition installation for the UW Design Show 2026, in the Jacob Lawrence Art Gallery. The show ran from June 10-26th, 2026, open to the public.
After six conversations with academics, we wanted to know where our own community stood. We crafted an interactive exhibition installation for the UW Design Show 2026, in the Jacob Lawrence Art Gallery. The show ran from June 10-26th, 2026, open to the public.
