Exploring the Impact of AI-generated Image Tools on Professional and Non-professional Users in the Art and Design Fields

TL;DR

This study investigates how AI-generated image tools affect professional and non-professional users in art and design, highlighting differences in usage, perceptions, and the potential for democratizing creativity.

Contribution

It provides empirical insights into user experiences and perceptions, and offers recommendations for developing more user-centered AI tools in art and design.

Findings

Non-professional users find AI tools increase accessibility to creative tasks.

Concerns persist about image quality, cost, and copyright issues.

AI tools have potential to democratize art and design processes.

Abstract

The rapid proliferation of AI-generated image tools is transforming the art and design fields, challenging traditional notions of creativity and impacting both professional and non-professional users. For the purposes of this paper, we define 'professional users' as individuals who self-identified in our survey as 'artists,' 'designers,' 'filmmakers,' or 'art and design students,' and 'non-professional users' as individuals who self-identified as 'others.' This study explores how AI-generated image tools influence these different user groups. Through an online survey (N=380) comprising 173 professional users and 207 non-professional users, we examine differences in the utilization of AI tools, user satisfaction and challenges, applications in creative processes, perceptions and impacts, and acceptance levels. Our findings indicate persistent concerns about image quality, cost, and copyright issues. Additionally, the usage patterns of non-professional users suggest that AI tools have the potential to democratize creative processes, making art and design tasks more accessible to individuals without traditional expertise. This study provides insights into the needs of different user groups and offers recommendations for developing more user-centered AI tools, contributing to the broader discussion on the future of AI in the art and design fields.