Negotiating authenticity, vividness, and engagement: A design framework for GenAI in heritage co-creation

Zijing Song; Sifan Chen; Chihiro Sato; Christian Wagner

doi:10.21606/drs.2026.1145

Negotiating authenticity, vividness, and engagement: A design framework for GenAI in heritage co-creation

Zijing Song^*
, Sifan Chen
, Chihiro Sato
, Christian Wagner^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Creative Media

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

5 Downloads (CityUHK Scholars)

Abstract

The adoption of generative AI in heritage storytelling has revealed hidden tensions among stakeholders due to competing values. To investigate how design research can negotiate values differences, we conducted a three-session qualitative study surrounding the “Kawagoe Festival” in a bottom-up, three stakeholder-group setting. Session 1 used photo-elicitation to ground memories; Session 2 adopted human–AI image co-creation to explore past representations and speculative futures; while Session 3 facilitated reflective discussion. Grounded theory analysis identifies three values shaping GenAI-mediated co-creation: authenticity as a symbolic baseline, vividness as the enrichment of remembered details, and engagement as enabler of iterative, playful participation. Stakeholders balanced these values differently, thereby demonstrating AI mediation’s multiple affordances. GenAI promoted value transparency, yet also led to group polarisation when competing values such as authenticity and engagement collided. The study contributes a framework for value negotiation and offers design implications for socially engaged AI.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of DRS2026 Edinburgh
Subtitle of host publication	Design Research Society International Conference
Publisher	Design Research Society
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1145
Publication status	Published - Jun 2026

Publication series

Name	DRS Biennial Conference Series

Funding

We thank the Kawagoe City Cultural Properties Protection Division and Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine for their support.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Research Keywords

cultural heritage storytelling
human–AI co-creation
value negotiation
stakeholder engagement

Publisher's Copyright Statement

This full text is made available under CC-BY-NC 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

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10.21606/drs.2026.1145

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title = "Negotiating authenticity, vividness, and engagement: A design framework for GenAI in heritage co-creation",

abstract = "The adoption of generative AI in heritage storytelling has revealed hidden tensions among stakeholders due to competing values. To investigate how design research can negotiate values differences, we conducted a three-session qualitative study surrounding the “Kawagoe Festival” in a bottom-up, three stakeholder-group setting. Session 1 used photo-elicitation to ground memories; Session 2 adopted human–AI image co-creation to explore past representations and speculative futures; while Session 3 facilitated reflective discussion. Grounded theory analysis identifies three values shaping GenAI-mediated co-creation: authenticity as a symbolic baseline, vividness as the enrichment of remembered details, and engagement as enabler of iterative, playful participation. Stakeholders balanced these values differently, thereby demonstrating AI mediation{\textquoteright}s multiple affordances. GenAI promoted value transparency, yet also led to group polarisation when competing values such as authenticity and engagement collided. The study contributes a framework for value negotiation and offers design implications for socially engaged AI.",

keywords = "cultural heritage storytelling, human–AI co-creation, value negotiation, stakeholder engagement",

author = "Zijing Song and Sifan Chen and Chihiro Sato and Christian Wagner",

year = "2026",

month = jun,

doi = "10.21606/drs.2026.1145",

language = "English",

series = "DRS Biennial Conference Series",

publisher = "Design Research Society",

booktitle = "Proceedings of DRS2026 Edinburgh",

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Negotiating authenticity, vividness, and engagement: A design framework for GenAI in heritage co-creation. / Song, Zijing; Chen, Sifan; Sato, Chihiro et al.
Proceedings of DRS2026 Edinburgh: Design Research Society International Conference. Design Research Society, 2026. 224 (DRS Biennial Conference Series).

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Negotiating authenticity, vividness, and engagement

T2 - A design framework for GenAI in heritage co-creation

AU - Song, Zijing

AU - Chen, Sifan

AU - Sato, Chihiro

AU - Wagner, Christian

PY - 2026/6

Y1 - 2026/6

N2 - The adoption of generative AI in heritage storytelling has revealed hidden tensions among stakeholders due to competing values. To investigate how design research can negotiate values differences, we conducted a three-session qualitative study surrounding the “Kawagoe Festival” in a bottom-up, three stakeholder-group setting. Session 1 used photo-elicitation to ground memories; Session 2 adopted human–AI image co-creation to explore past representations and speculative futures; while Session 3 facilitated reflective discussion. Grounded theory analysis identifies three values shaping GenAI-mediated co-creation: authenticity as a symbolic baseline, vividness as the enrichment of remembered details, and engagement as enabler of iterative, playful participation. Stakeholders balanced these values differently, thereby demonstrating AI mediation’s multiple affordances. GenAI promoted value transparency, yet also led to group polarisation when competing values such as authenticity and engagement collided. The study contributes a framework for value negotiation and offers design implications for socially engaged AI.

AB - The adoption of generative AI in heritage storytelling has revealed hidden tensions among stakeholders due to competing values. To investigate how design research can negotiate values differences, we conducted a three-session qualitative study surrounding the “Kawagoe Festival” in a bottom-up, three stakeholder-group setting. Session 1 used photo-elicitation to ground memories; Session 2 adopted human–AI image co-creation to explore past representations and speculative futures; while Session 3 facilitated reflective discussion. Grounded theory analysis identifies three values shaping GenAI-mediated co-creation: authenticity as a symbolic baseline, vividness as the enrichment of remembered details, and engagement as enabler of iterative, playful participation. Stakeholders balanced these values differently, thereby demonstrating AI mediation’s multiple affordances. GenAI promoted value transparency, yet also led to group polarisation when competing values such as authenticity and engagement collided. The study contributes a framework for value negotiation and offers design implications for socially engaged AI.

KW - cultural heritage storytelling

KW - human–AI co-creation

KW - value negotiation

KW - stakeholder engagement

U2 - 10.21606/drs.2026.1145

DO - 10.21606/drs.2026.1145

M3 - RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication)

T3 - DRS Biennial Conference Series

BT - Proceedings of DRS2026 Edinburgh

PB - Design Research Society

ER -

Negotiating authenticity, vividness, and engagement: A design framework for GenAI in heritage co-creation

Abstract

Publication series

Funding

UN SDGs

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

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Cite this