Leisure futures: a hybrid approach integrating generative AI and design futures

Abstract

This article aims to establish a foundation for the vocational and applied study of the possible, probable and preferable futures of the leisure industries. It does so by presenting a novel methodological approach, integrating state-of-the-art generative AI (GenAI) created content within actionable formats, with a design futures approach and process, validated by several industry awards by, for example, market research organisation ESOMAR in the early 2000s. In this article, the authors propose to merge the novelty of GenAI with the constructivist tradition of design futures in a hybrid approach to leisure futures in a system including: (1) archetypal scenarios, to structure future potentials of scenarios at macro-level, to orientate possibilities, probabilities and preferable futures; (2) a quadrants tool, based on design futures principles and practices, but based on AI-generated archetypal scenarios, enabling the mapping of leisure cards in participatory workshops; and (3) leisure cards, to generate signals and manifestations of leisure futures, offering the possibility to include hallucinations that inspire liminal hypercreativity in any forecast. By presenting this approach, the authors aim at establishing a first foundation of a systematic exploration of leisure futures, to be further developed at scientific and applicative levels of vision, methods and outcome in the form of signals and trends.