TEDAI Vienna Panel - Protecting human intent in a space of generative AI sameness & infinite outputs

As AI becomes deeply embedded in our creative and decision-making tools, it doesn’t just assist us: it starts to shape what we create, how we think, and even what we value. The promise of generative technology is abundance, but the hidden cost is often convergence / where outputs blur together, and intent is quietly overwritten by default suggestions. How do we prevent the erosion of originality and intention? In this conversation, Microsoft researcher Advait Sarkar unpacks how AI systems subtly influence our intentions and actions, from spreadsheets to copilots, and why friction might be essential to preserve critical thought. Designer and data storyteller Pau Garcia brings a cultural and emotional lens, showing how immersive, sensory storytelling can restore meaning, agency, and surprise in a world increasingly optimized for efficiency. Design is the only instrument we have for reclaiming agency in spaces dominated by automation. Guided by Ioana Teleanu, the three panelists explore what it means to treat AI as a design material - something we can mold intentionally, rather than passively consume - and how to design systems that resist homogenization, encourage human divergence, and protect the fragile spark of intent in an age of infinite outputs. Thumbnail © TEDAI Vienna | Robert Leslie