Willem van der Maden

This paper critically examines how machine learning models humans in three case studies of well-being technologies, surfaces the assumptions that center normative bodies and marginalize complexities, and uses agential realism to propose more inclusive, posthuman-centered ML modeling approaches.

This essay analyzes how Generative AI is reshaping design practice and identifies five common “semantic stopsigns” — reductive framings that stall deeper inquiry. Drawing on two expert ACM‑conference workshops and interviews with design practitioners, it reframes these stopsigns into nuanced perspectives that help researchers and designers engage more productively with emerging GenAI tools.

In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) permeates every facet of our lives, this article presents and evaluates the positive AI design method aimed at supporting wellbeing in AI development.