Taking the Generative AI Project to the Streets: AHAPP Open-Air Living Lab in Paris
What happens when a digital project steps out of meeting rooms and into the city?
On 6 September 2025, the Erasmus+ project “Generative AI – Youth Sector Challenges and Impact” brought its ideas into a public urban space in Paris through the AHAPP Open-Air Living Lab — an open, accessible moment of dissemination, testing and dialogue with the wider community.
The Living Lab transformed the city into a place of encounter and exchange. Passers-by were invited to discover the project’s vision and explore the early design concept of the future app, even before its technical development. Through QR codes, participants accessed a preview of the app design on Figma and project materials, while visual boards displayed in the space sparked conversations around usability, accessibility and real-life application.
More than 50 people engaged with the activity, including youth workers, students, tech-curious citizens, grassroots operators and local residents. Short conversations and micro-interviews created a continuous flow of feedback, ideas and questions, turning the Living Lab into a shared reflection on how digital tools can respond to everyday needs.
The informal setting — enhanced by a small live-music moment — encouraged participation and lowered barriers, allowing dialogue to unfold naturally.
By testing the app’s concept in a real public context, the project was able to validate assumptions, gather qualitative insights and listen directly to potential users, grounding the next development steps in lived experience.
The AHAPP Open-Air Living Lab marked an important step in connecting research, design and community voices, reinforcing the project’s commitment to building ethical, accessible and people-centred digital solutions.