Strategic Studies of Art

Strategic Studies of Art

Critical Analysis of Artificial Intelligence as a “Collaborator in Artistic Creation”: Rethinking Human Authenticity and Creativity in Art Studies

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Marziehsadat Shahidi 1
Hossein Ardalani 2
1 Marzieh Sadat Shahidi, Lecturer, Department of Painting, Faculty of Art, Tehran West Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2 &, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy of Art, Hamedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran"
10.22083/ssa.2026.551975.1097
Abstract
Introduction: The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) across design disciplines has significantly reshaped creative processes in interactive graphic design. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into visual production workflows, a central question emerges: how can designers engage AI as a collaborative partner while preserving-and potentially redefining-human creativity and artistic authenticity? This study addresses the conceptual and practical challenges inherent in human-machine interaction, examining how algorithmic contributions influence creative decision-making, cultural interpretation, and the aesthetic construction of interactive visual experiences.
Methods: This research adopts an analytical and critical methodological framework. Data were collected through an extensive review of scholarly literature, an examination of practical case studies in AI-assisted interactive and three-dimensional design, and semi-structured interviews with designers and experts experienced in human–AI collaboration. Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurring patterns related to creative opportunities, technical and ethical challenges, and the conditions that enable productive synergy between human designers and AI systems.
Results: The findings indicate that AI can function effectively as a creative collaborator in interactive graphic design when its application is grounded in human-centered principles. AI enhances ideation by rapidly generating diverse visual alternatives, facilitates experimentation with complex forms, and supports innovative aesthetic exploration. However, the results underscore that human judgment, cultural awareness, and artistic sensitivity remain indispensable. Although AI expands the spectrum of creative possibilities, it cannot replace the uniquely human capacities for interpretation, contextual reasoning, and meaning-making. Additional challenges identified include algorithmic bias, limited contextual awareness, and the risk of aesthetic homogenization.
Discussion: The study concludes that the future of interactive graphic design depends on establishing a synergistic model of human–AI collaboration. When AI is positioned as an augmentative instrument rather than a substitute for human designers, it strengthens creative agency and fosters the development of culturally informed and aesthetically nuanced design outcomes. This collaborative paradigm shifts the emphasis toward an iterative, process-oriented conception of creativity, in which meaning emerges through the dynamic interplay between human intentionality and computational capability. Ultimately, the research demonstrates that human creativity is not diminished by AI; rather, it can be expanded and rearticulated within digital environments through deliberate and ethically grounded integration.
Keywords
"
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Interactive Graphic Design
Human Creativity
Artistic Authenticity"

Subjects

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