# Luminate: Structured Generation and Exploration of Design Space with Large Language Models for Human-AI Co-Creation

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2310.12953 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.12953/

## Key facts

- Cited by 64 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 7 of its 42 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 19 Oct 2023.

## Builds on (most cited first, 7 of 7)

- [Sparks: Inspiration for Science Writing using Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2110.07640/) (2021)
- [Sensecape: Enabling Multilevel Exploration and Sensemaking with Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2305.11483/) (2023)
- [Beyond Text Generation: Supporting Writers with Continuous Automatic Text Summaries](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.09323/) (2022)
- [Opal: Multimodal Image Generation for News Illustration](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.09007/) (2022)
- [Exploring Challenges and Opportunities to Support Designers in Learning to Co-create with AI-based Manufacturing Design Tools](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.00192/) (2023)
- [CodeToon: Story Ideation, Auto Comic Generation, and Structure Mapping for Code-Driven Storytelling](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.12981/) (2022)
- [CrossCode: Multi-level Visualization of Program Execution](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.03445/) (2023)

## Built on by (most cited first, 30 of 64)

- [Modifying Large Language Model Post-Training for Diverse Creative Writing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.17126/) (2025)
- [How Far Are We From AGI: Are LLMs All We Need?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.10313/) (2024)
- [Literature-Grounded Novelty Assessment of Scientific Ideas](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.22026/) (2025)
- [Classroom Simulacra: Building Contextual Student Generative Agents in Online Education for Learning Behavioral Simulation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.02780/) (2025)
- [Not Just Novelty: A Longitudinal Study on Utility and Customization of an AI Workflow](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.09894/) (2024)
- [Co-Writing with AI, on Human Terms: Aligning Research with User Demands Across the Writing Process](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.12488/) (2025)
- [AI Chatbots for Mental Health: Values and Harms from Lived Experiences of Depression](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.18932/) (2025)
- [Augmented Object Intelligence with XR-Objects](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.13274/) (2024)
- [Guiding and Diversifying LLM-Based Story Generation via Answer Set Programming](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.00554/) (2024)
- [From Text to Trust: Empowering AI-assisted Decision Making with Adaptive LLM-powered Analysis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.11919/) (2025)
- [WhatELSE: Shaping Narrative Spaces at Configurable Level of Abstraction for AI-bridged Interactive Storytelling](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.18641/) (2025)
- [AI-Instruments: Embodying Prompts as Instruments to Abstract & Reflect Graphical Interface Commands as General-Purpose Tools](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.18736/) (2025)
- [PromptMap: An Alternative Interaction Style for AI-Based Image Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.09436/) (2025)
- [Where Do I 'Add the Egg'?: Exploring Agency and Ownership in AI Creative Co-Writing Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.15440/) (2025)
- [DesignWeaver: Dimensional Scaffolding for Text-to-Image Product Design](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.09867/) (2025)
- [Intent Tagging: Exploring Micro-Prompting Interactions for Supporting Granular Human-GenAI Co-Creation Workflows](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.18737/) (2025)
- [POET: Supporting Prompting Creativity and Personalization with Automated Expansion of Text-to-Image Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.13392/) (2025)
- [CHIMERA: A Knowledge Base of Scientific Idea Recombinations for Research Analysis and Ideation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.20779/) (2025)
- [Surfacing Variations to Calibrate Perceived Reliability of MLLM-generated Image Descriptions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.15692/) (2025)
- [When Should Users Check? Modeling Confirmation Frequency in Multi-Step Agentic AI Tasks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.05307/) (2025)
- [Interaction as Intelligence: Deep Research With Human-AI Partnership](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.15759/) (2025)
- [Large Language Models Meet User Interfaces: The Case of Provisioning Feedback](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.11072/) (2024)
- [Composable Prompting Workspaces for Creative Writing: Exploration and Iteration Using Dynamic Widgets](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.21394/) (2025)
- [NeuroSync: Intent-Aware Code-Based Problem Solving via Direct LLM Understanding Modification](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.02823/) (2025)
- [Evalet: Evaluating Large Language Models through Functional Fragmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.11206/) (2025)
- [CUPID: Contextual Understanding of Prompt-conditioned Image Distributions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.07699/) (2024)
- [PromptCanvas: Composable Prompting Workspaces Using Dynamic Widgets for Exploration and Iteration in Creative Writing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.03741/) (2025)
- [Scaffolding Recursive Divergence and Convergence in Story Ideation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.03307/) (2025)
- [StoryEnsemble: Enabling Dynamic Exploration & Iteration in the Design Process with AI and Forward-Backward Propagation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.03182/) (2025)
- [ThematicPlane: Bridging Tacit User Intent and Latent Spaces for Image Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.06065/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Thanks to their generative capabilities, large language models (LLMs) have become an invaluable tool for creative processes. These models have the capacity to produce hundreds and thousands of visual and textual outputs, offering abundant inspiration for creative endeavors. But are we harnessing their full potential? We argue that current interaction paradigms fall short, guiding users towards rapid convergence on a limited set of ideas, rather than empowering them to explore the vast latent design space in generative models. To address this limitation, we propose a framework that facilitates the structured generation of design space in which users can seamlessly explore, evaluate, and synthesize a multitude of responses. We demonstrate the feasibility and usefulness of this framework through the design and development of an interactive system, Luminate, and a user study with 14 professional writers. Our work advances how we interact with LLMs for creative tasks, introducing a way to harness the creative potential of LLMs.