Chris Chowen

Creative technologist and PhD researcher investigating vibe-coding as a creative design medium, exploring how non-technical practitioners can build interactive systems through conversational AI. Before starting my doctorate, I spent seven years at Wired Sussex managing The FuseBox innovation hub, immersive technology lab, and 5G testbed for Brighton's digital creative community. I've built over 50 projects through AI-assisted development and speak regularly on creative AI, vibe-coding, and responsible AI practice. I also offer consulting on AI-assisted development workflows and deliver hands-on workshops for non-programmers.

My doctoral research sits at the intersection of human-computer interaction, creative practice, and AI-assisted software development. I study "vibe-coding", building software by describing what you want in natural language and letting AI systems handle the implementation, as an emerging creative design medium for non-technical practitioners. Through practice-based methods, I've identified recurring failure modes in conversational AI development and proposed a Minimum Viable Literacy framework describing what non-programmers need to know to collaborate effectively with AI coding tools. A central finding is what I call the "compression gap": AI tools dramatically compress the journey from idea to working prototype, but the final distance to production-ready software still demands knowledge that prompting alone cannot replace.

Guest workshop: "Cinematic Synthesis: Generative AI in Creative Storytelling", Royal Holloway, University of London (May 2023). I also deliver external workshops on AI-assisted development for non-programmers, ranging from 30-minute introductions to half-day intensive sessions.

I work with organisations on AI strategy, vibe-coding adoption, and creative technology prototyping. Services include research-backed AI workflow consulting, rapid prototyping with AI and emerging technologies (VR, AR, WebXR), and tailored training programmes. Previous clients and collaborators include Crisis UK (via adam&eveDDB), Brighton Digital Festival, and creative businesses across Sussex. Details at chrischowen.com/services.

Prior to my PhD, I held progressive roles at Wired Sussex (2018-2024), Brighton's digital and creative industries membership body, culminating as Innovation and Technology Manager. I managed The FuseBox innovation hub, programmed emerging technology Discovery Days, and coordinated cross-sector cultural-tech collaborations. I speak at conferences including the ASC Conference at The Kia Oval (2025), XReative Tech Meetup at Barclays Eagle Labs Brighton (2025), and university guest lectures. Full speaking history at chrischowen.com/speaking.

UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in AI for Digital Media Inclusion (Royal Holloway, University of London & University of Surrey). Former Innovation and Technology Manager, Wired Sussex

BSc Multimedia Technology & Design, First Class Honours, University of Kent (2014-2017).