PERCEPTIONS OF CREATIVITY IN AI-SUPPORTED DESIGN: A QUALITATIVE STUDY AMONG VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN STUDENTS

Abstract

AI-supported design tools have become increasingly influential in creative production processes in visual communication design. This change affects production speed, the definition of creativity, the designer’s position within the process, and questions of originality and ownership. This study examines how visual communication design students perceive creativity in AI-supported design processes. To this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 students who actively use AI-supported design tools, and the data were analyzed using descriptive content analysis. The findings suggest that participants perceived AI as accelerating the design process and making it easier to generate alternatives. In this process, creativity was understood through guidance, decision-making and development, alongside production from scratch. While some participants viewed AI as a tool supporting creativity, others noted that creative depth and a sense of ownership had diminished. Participants’ sense of ownership was related more to how much they contributed to the process than to the quality of the final output. The study suggests that AI-supported design processes may reshape the way students define and experience creativity. Based on these findings, future discussions on AI in design should pay greater attention to creativity, ownership and individual contribution.