AI Design for Ocean Solutions (2026)

Climate change and human industrialization are having an accelerating negative impact on the ocean, the source of life and water on earth, which covers 71% of the planet. This hands-on course will bring generative AI tools and design interventions to one of our biggest climate challenges today: the ocean.

Through a series of short lectures and design-thinking activities, we will use generative AI tools to engage creatively with select topics in marine and climate science. The course will permit students to learn how to use AI tools for brainstorming, infusing some randomness and chance into scientific ideation. Students will learn about some of our most intractable and important ocean challenges, and use these novel AI methods for outside the box prototyping of possible solutions.

In-class time will be split between learning marine topics such as rising ocean temperatures, coral reef degradation, sea level rise, pollution, and unsustainable exploitation of resources (including overfishing, oil drilling, deep sea mining, mangrove removal for coastal development) and exploring possible interventions to address these issues by brainstorming and prototyping with generative AI tools to push the boundaries of traditional thinking. The course will also cover the environmental impacts of AI, recent developments in AI technology to address climate and ocean issues, and introduce the concept of “nature tech.” Outside of class time will be devoted to students’ researching their chosen topics to learn whether their intervention ideas have been tried, and if not, why not.

By the end of the four day course, students will each have created an ocean solution as a conceptual or built prototype to present to the class. This course will be taught by metaLAB Director of Art & Education Sarah Newman, scientist and ocean enthusiast Heather Newman, and GSD lecturer and designer Eric Rodenbeck.

There are no prerequisites for this course. Students will build on their experience with design, ideation, and prototyping, and bring these skills to ocean challenges while leveraging and learning about potential benefits (and risks) of using AI in the design process.

Course Information

• Class meets Monday, January 12 through Friday, January 16, from 1-3 pm at Harvard’s Harvard Graduate School of Design.
• This course is open to GSD students, staff, and affiliates.
• Register for the course or visit the course website

Not a GSD student? If you’re interested in hearing about future workshops and events, you can sign up for updates!

For more information, contact: snewman@metalab.harvard.edu