Abstract
Narrative identity—the way individuals construct meaning by organizing life experiences into personal stories—plays a vital role in self-understanding. Generative AI systems, such as chatbots and journaling apps, are now being used to support this kind of identity work. While prior work has explored how generative AI can support either intra personal reflection or interpersonal interaction, few systems are intentionally designed to bridge the two. In this study, we explore how generative AI can be designed to support narrative identity construction by addressing both dimensions. Through semi-structured interviews with five autobiography ghostwriters and two counseling professionals, we identify three expert strategies. Building on these insights, we propose three design implications with five design strategies that illustrate how generative AI can help users reorganize scattered information, generate communicative materials, and detect and redirect emotional balance. By integrating narrative identity theory with AI design, our work contributes to growing research on human-centered AI and expands the design space for systems that meaningfully support identity development.
Keywords
Narrative identity; Identity construction; Generative AI; Human-centered design
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.829
Citation
Bae, H., Kwak, D.,and Lim, Y.(2025) Exploring Design Strategies for Generative AI to Support Narrative Identity Construction, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.829
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 4 - Human-Centered AI
Exploring Design Strategies for Generative AI to Support Narrative Identity Construction
Narrative identity—the way individuals construct meaning by organizing life experiences into personal stories—plays a vital role in self-understanding. Generative AI systems, such as chatbots and journaling apps, are now being used to support this kind of identity work. While prior work has explored how generative AI can support either intra personal reflection or interpersonal interaction, few systems are intentionally designed to bridge the two. In this study, we explore how generative AI can be designed to support narrative identity construction by addressing both dimensions. Through semi-structured interviews with five autobiography ghostwriters and two counseling professionals, we identify three expert strategies. Building on these insights, we propose three design implications with five design strategies that illustrate how generative AI can help users reorganize scattered information, generate communicative materials, and detect and redirect emotional balance. By integrating narrative identity theory with AI design, our work contributes to growing research on human-centered AI and expands the design space for systems that meaningfully support identity development.