The roles of AI in design thinking

As AI technologies rapidly evolve, their integration into structured innovation frameworks such as design thinking is reshaping how organizations approach problem-solving. While existing literature has explored AI's general impact on innovation, a gap remains in understanding how specific AI capabilities support the distinct phases of design thinking. This paper addresses that gap by systematically mapping AI roles onto an extended design thinking double diamond framework. Based on a qualitative research design, including expert interviews and focus groups with innovation practitioners, we identify and define five key AI roles--Optimizer, Explorer, Sensemaker, Creator, and Challenger--each corresponding to different cognitive and operational activities across innovation phases. These roles offer a practical lens for understanding how AI can augment, automate, or even independently execute tasks in the innovation process. Our findings provide both a theoretical contribution to AI-in-innovation literature and actionable guidance for practitioners aiming to strategically integrate AI into their innovation efforts.