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A tasty way to create.

Create with AI. Discover along the way.

Make and experiment with AI that supports and challenges your ideas. Find unexpected connections, reflect on what you discover, and document the process.

Join early accessBook a demo

When to use it

Start before
you feel ready.

Zikelato works best early, while an idea is still soft, or when you're stuck and the next step isn't obvious.

An idea is just starting.

You have a hunch, a phrase, or a question, but no first step.

“Something about strangers and maps…”
Support

You're stuck halfway.

The project has stalled, or every version feels the same.

“My workshop plan feels flat.”
Challenge

You've read a lot but have no angle.

You've gathered articles, notes, or references and need a way in that feels like yours.

“I've read ten papers on play. Now what?”
Surprise

Feeling overloaded?SpacePause, notice, make room.

See it in action

Explore an idea with AI.

This is a guided demo with prepared examples.

  1. A project, a question, or something you’re curious to try.

  2. Choose how you want to work with AI.

  3. Choose how much AI contributes to the process.

  4. Make, notice, and record what surprises you.

A / Your starting point

Or try:

Why it's different

Make room
for discovery.

Zikelato is being built around what happens while you create. AI can question an assumption, introduce a constraint, or offer an unexpected connection. Reflection and documentation help you notice those moments and see how your ideas develop.

Our story

Aliveness happens
in the making.

Built by Ziqi (Kiki) Cheng, learning designer at Harvard Graduate School of Education.

A sketch starts a conversation. Trying a new material gives you an idea. Someone else's question takes your project somewhere unexpected.

Those moments can make us feel present, connected, and involved. That's what we mean by aliveness. Sometimes it comes from making something. Sometimes it comes from a discovery we didn't plan. We call those unexpected discoveries serendipity.

Zikelato explores how making with AI can open up more of those moments. Like mixing flavors, a little support, a useful challenge, or something unexpected can change what you try. Reflect on what happened and document how your ideas changed.

Help shape what comes next

A few more things

Still curious?

What is Zikelato?

Zikelato is a creative space for making with AI. We're exploring how AI can support and challenge your process, help you notice unexpected connections, and make room for reflection and documentation.

What do you mean by liveness?

Liveness is the feeling of being present and involved in what you’re making. You might notice it through a sense of presence in the moment, agency to shape what happens next, connection with yourself, others, or the world around you, and belonging, the feeling that there’s room for you and your way of creating. As you make, notice when you feel most alive. Those moments can help you find your own definition of liveness.

What’s the difference between a flavor and the dial?

A flavor chooses the kind of help: build on an idea, question an assumption, make a new connection, or pause. The dial chooses how much AI contributes: a question, a choice of directions, or a draft. Space always pauses suggestions.

Does the tasting use live AI?

This is a guided demo with prepared creative exercises. Workshop and story ideas have tailored examples; other ideas use open creative prompts. A live AI product is still in development.

What happens when I keep a direction?

Each direction you keep is added to Your mix, saved only in this browser on this device. It isn't sent to an AI model or included with your signup. You can download it as Markdown or PDF, copy it, or clear it anytime.

Who can take part?

Creators, students, designers, educators, researchers, and anyone curious about creating with technology. Join the early-access list to hear about new experiments and opportunities to take part.

Data privacy

Early access. When you sign up, we store your email, optional interest, consent, and signup date to manage early-access updates and research invitations.

Creative demo. The guided demo uses prepared examples. Your inputs stay in your browser. Directions you keep in Your mix are saved on this device, separately from your signup.

Read the full privacy notice