XUL Use Cases Examples

Individual and social creativity for Social Good

The concept of “social good” in an AI creativity support application can be understood through several highlights:

**Social Creativity**: Creativity is not only an individual act, but also has a significant social component. The “SocialCreativeAct” emphasizes the importance of sociological, anthropological, and communicational factors in creativity. Social creativity involves the social construction of reality, cultural identity, and social interaction, which can be enhanced by AI applications that facilitate collaboration and the exchange of ideas.

**Integration of Individual and Social Creativity**: One example mentioned is Caretta, which seeks to integrate individual and social creativity. AI applications can support this integration by providing tools that foster both individual creativity (such as personal digital assistants) and social creativity (such as collaborative boards). This suggests that social good in AI applications for creativity can be achieved by facilitating an environment where individual and social creativity nurture each other.

In short, the social good in AI-powered creativity support applications focuses on fostering a collaborative environment that values both individual and social creativity, promoting interaction and the exchange of ideas to enrich the creative process.

Subjectivity in the creative process

In the context of AI story writing, both concepts, Umwelt and Collective Unconscious, offer interesting perspectives, but each addresses different aspects of the creative process.

Umwelt: This concept could describe how an AI could personalize and adapt stories based on a user's specific perception and context. Much like an organism creates its own Umwelt through interactions with the world, an AI could generate narratives that reflect each user's unique preferences, interests, and experiences, creating a more personalized and meaningful reading experience.

Collective Unconscious: This concept could be a future evolutionary path for AI in story writing by allowing it to access universal archetypes and symbols that resonate with a broad audience. By incorporating elements of the collective unconscious, an AI could create stories that touch on universal and emotional themes, connecting with readers on a deeper, shared level.

Both approaches have potential in the evolution of AI story writing, whether through individual personalization and adaptation (Umwelt) or through connection to universal themes and symbols (Collective Unconscious).

Applying Activity Theory in Data Analysis (with AI)

Activity Theory offers a comprehensive approach to analyzing data by considering social and cultural factors. Here are some ways to apply it:

**Contextualization**: Situate data within its social and cultural context to understand its meaning and use.
**Component Analysis**: Break down activities into subjects, communities, instruments, and objects for deeper understanding.
**Modeling**: Develop computable models that represent interactions within the activity system, facilitating complex analyses.
**Visualization**: Create visualizations that reflect both quantitative data and social dynamics, telling a more complete story.
**Identifying Contradictions**: Look for discrepancies in the data that may indicate areas for improvement and change.
**Collaborative Development**: Design environments that foster collaboration and learning, optimizing data use.
**Transdisciplinary Approach**: Combine different disciplines to tackle complex problems related to informational behavior.

Activity Theory not only enriches data analysis but also enhances informed and effective decision-making across various contexts.

It is often said, and rightly so, that data quality is essential for both analysis and training an AI... but it is not so common to hear about WHAT data, in particular, WHAT METADATA... I think it is because a robust theoretical framework is not usually used to analyze data (as is done, for example, in science, through theories, etc.).

And in the case of AI, the approach is also important... since it is necessary, in my opinion, to deploy a dialogue (this is what is new and powerful about this instrument) using natural language but within a framework of concepts... in principle, depending on the applications, it is not convenient for AI to be a black box in this sense...

Activity Pattern specification in ZEPPELIN

How can we use this analysis with AI?

The goal is to be able to use it to find ideas that solve the tensions found. To do this, the notion of Activity Pattern is used, a mix between Activity Systems and Design Patterns. In this way, the findings in the data can be translated into natural language that describes the system in terms of its components in order to be able to search for solutions with AI. That is where XUL comes in (you can import this type of specifications directly from ZEPPELIN) to use creativity and innovation techniques (such as InnotationTemplates) to propose adjustments to the system.

Exploring Contradictions: Health as Luxury

XUL contains tools for creating solutions to problems from contradictions in a system, including ActivityPatterns and InnovationTemplates. For example, some proposals (summarized) on "health as luxury, in tension between a proclaimed capacity for self-care and excessive cost":

_ Offer wellness packages with access to nature retreats and community activities. These improve health and social perception without high costs.
_ Conceptual Example: Here the wellness benefit depends on interaction with nature and community, redefining "luxury" as authentic and accessible experiences.
_ Another proposal could be defined as an "essential wellness network", where elitist practices are replaced by human connections and shared healthy experiences, claiming the value of community as the new luxury status. Promote a culture of health and wellness based on simple, natural and community practices that do not depend on high-cost devices or treatments. Creating a new trend where “luxury” lies in simplicity and accessibility to wellness practices that are socially inclusive.

Some questions

How can high-end wellness practices be made more equitable and accessible to different social strata?
What role do media and social media play in perpetuating the idea that wellness is a status symbol?
To what extent do these practices actually improve health or are they more a symbol of conspicuous consumption?

Natural language, specific dialogue

The other day I came across a valid question in our world full of messages that want to stand out: how to do it if we all try to do the same thing, that is, stand out? One possibility is simply to be yourself... how difficult, right?

So I did a little exercise with XUL (support for creativity, design and advertising) using a particular type of dialogue with AI (yes, that is for me the really powerful thing about this new technology at least for this type of domain) that encourages independence.

I got certain ideas (or precursors of ideas), which I then used with another available technique that came to mind for one of the cases (Jung archetypes)... it makes me reflect: it seems incredible to me, communication with natural language has been fulfilled... hopefully now AI will be for the benefit of the user, another old dream

Creatures by dialogue

Taking AI-assisted creativity as an example, I used XUL to imagine a series of sea creatures as well, in this case to explore a “creative dialogue process.”

To do this, XUL allows for including domain-specific knowledge in the conversation (not just concepts, but also proven techniques, processes, archetypes, templates, roles, etc.)

What attracts me most about this new technology to assist creativity, on the one hand, is the ability to use natural language (even without the need to use English) to interact with the software, and on the other hand the need to have to interact: unfolding a dialogue is a creative process.

The creative DYAD

XUL is a creativity support environment that includes a specific domain and various tools to explore it, even in a reflective manner by XUL itself, for example, to set up a chat based on a human/AI creativity dyad under certain criteria such as cognitive diversity:

"- **Exchange of Perspectives**: We can start by sharing our unique experiences and knowledge. By combining our different perspectives, we can generate ideas that neither of us could have conceived separately.

**Brainstorming**: Let's conduct a brainstorming session where we each propose ideas without restrictions. Then, we can discuss and refine these ideas, leveraging our individual strengths to develop them further.

**Challenge and Collaboration**: We can challenge each other's ideas constructively, which can lead to an even more innovative synthesis of concepts. By collaborating and debating, we can find creative solutions to complex problems."

Innovation Templates

Exploring the domain of advertising creativity and design during the DALI project, with the mind to develop an application that supports creativity and innovation, I came across the InnovationTemplates (Goldenberg et. al.).

Goldenberg, Mazursky, and Solomon extend Altshuller's methods (ITRIZProcess) to propose that ideation is more effective when the PD team focuses on five templates ' well-defined schemes that are derived from an historical analysis of new products. The authors define a template as a systematic Change between an existing Solution and a new solution and provide a method by which the PD team can make these changes in a series of smaller Steps called TemplateOperation

With the advent of AI, the DALI project mutated into XUL, and with this environment I was able to begin to directly employ these ideas, which apply to creative domains beyond design and advertising.

“Smart” processes

Can a creative process be defined? Sure, in fact, there are many... how to put them into practice in a way that does not affect the subjective form of the creatives is the key. A clue: language

The use of AI in conjunction with a (creative) process reminds me of the idea of "Smart Process", which I summarize:

People will always use a mix of ideas from different sources and, since they also improvise, a fully defined Process becomes outdated.

Instead, a SmartProcess with a SmartProcessTool based on ProcessPractices (more flexible and easier to maintain) should be used.

The description of a Process should not be fiction but reflect what is actually done. Users want to apply the process, not just read about it: ExplicitKnowledge should be presented when needed, summarized and useful.

But, by the very nature of the interaction with AI, based on dialogue, I think it adapts very well to an unfolding process, typical of creative processes. An example of the latter is the following session in XUL using a specific process for the advertising domain (in this case a prototype of a new sneaker ad), in addition to some outcomes being fun, it illustrates the creative process

Geneplore

In 1992 Finke et al. proposed the 'Geneplore' model, in which creativity takes place in two phases (Stages): a GenerativePhase, where an individual constructs mental representations (incomplete forms) called PreinventiveStructures, and an ExplorativePhase where those structures are used to come up with creative ideas.

Using the process in XUL: the example bellow is a chair design, two AI chats and image generation to foster creativity from pre-inventive structures and process stages (this could also be done in one chat, or include more processes, tools, and concepts...)

It's not just any Dialogue

One of the things that attracts me about current AI is the way of interaction, since language, and dialogue in particular (not all) can be the basis of the creative process.

BohmDialogue is a form of FreeAssociationThinking conducted in groups with no predefined purpose
Conducted in groups of 10 to 40 people sitting in a single circle for a few hours during regular meetings or days in a workshop
Participants suspend their thoughts, motives, impulses, and judgments to explore and attempt to "Think together" collectively
It is not a discussion, lecture, discourse, or debate but a mutual exploration of human thought
The aim is to observe how hidden values and intentions can control conduct and how cultural differences can clash
Dialogue allows for collective learning and can lead to increased harmony, fellowship, and creativity
There are no firm rules for conducting a Dialogue as its essence is learning through creative participation
Participants examine preconceptions, prejudices, thinking patterns, and share insights
Starting a BohmDialogue involves suspension of thoughts, having between 20 to 40 participants in a circle, setting a duration of about two hours, having experienced facilitators, and beginning with any topic of interest
In a Dialogue, new insights and creativity can emerge, and participants are encouraged to consider conflicting possibilities and hold opposing views simultaneously.

Creativity is a collective process, examples are creative dyads, or the unfolding of a dialogue... Can AI also be a partner in the process?

How to start a "Bohm dialogue"

Suspension. Suspension of thoughts, impulses, judgments, etc., lies at the very heart of Dialogue
Numbers. A Dialogue works best with between twenty and forty people seated facing one another in a single circle. Smaller groups, on the other hand, lack the requisite diversity needed to reveal these tendencies and will generally emphasize more familiar personal and family roles and relationships.
Duration. A Dialogue needs some time to get going. It is important to point out that perseverance is required. In setting up Dialogues it is useful at the start to agree the length of the session and for someone to take responsibility for calling time at the end. We have found that about two hours is optimum
Leadership. A Dialogue is essentially a conversation between equals. At least one or, preferably two, experienced facilitators are essential
Subject matter. The Dialogue can begin with any topic of interest to the participants. No content should be excluded. In an existing organization the Dialogue will very probably have to begin with an exploration of all the Doubts and Fears that participation will certainly raise. Members may have to begin with a fairly specific Agenda from which they eventually can be encouraged to diverge

About XUL

XUL is an application/environment to support creativity with AI for MacOS

Developed in an organic way during more than a decade, the resulting knowledge corpus is release to feed an AI (OpenAI based) that supports several specific creative dialogues, techniques, innovation templates, styles, point of views, approaches, qualities, and creative process.

Co-create in an unfolding creative process:
Process Improvement solutions
New Advertisements
Innovative Designs
etc. etc.

Why is XUL for you?

It is based on a robust creative dialogue model, which somehow makes prompt engineering transparent
It has a specific domain of knowledge about creativity, innovation, design and advertising, science and society that is broad and easy to use
It accommodates diverse types of users, from beginners to the most experienced and technical
It is fun
I use it for myself!

XUL es una aplicación resultante de un proyecto de investigación personal de muchos años, que tiene como objetivo aprovechar el potencial de las computadoras como nuevos instrumentos/medios radicalmente diferentes a los anteriores. Desde un principio tomamos los dominios específicos de la publicidad y el diseño como fuentes de inspiración, y con el paso del tiempo y el surgimiento de la IA ha madurado en algo realmente existente, pruébalo!!!

XUL - AI Creativity Support (TRIAL)

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