Speculative Biotechnologies: AI as a Catalyst for Biodesign Education

Abstract

This study examines how integrating generative AI and speculative design into biodesign education can enhance students' ability to envision and articulate sustainable and socially just futures.Conducted in a Colombian university with design students, the study employed three speculative scenarios-fatalistic, optimistic, and practical futures-alongside continuous reflection.Findings indicate that generative AI helped students visualize biotechnological solutions, such as hydrogel barriers and biosustainable leather production, enabling them to connect speculative futures with tangible societal and ecological applications.This process encouraged critical engagement, ethical awareness, and strengthened students' identities as ethical designers.Digital AI-generated artifacts bridged gaps in students' knowledge of biological systems, making abstract concepts accessible and empowering them to imagine impactful, community-driven solutions.By integrating speculative design and AI into biodesign education, this study demonstrates the potential of such approaches to support interdisciplinary learning, develop critical design agency, and prepare students to address complex global challenges through innovative, localized solutions.