An exploration of the role of generative AI in fostering creativity in architectural learning environments

This paper explores the role of generative AI (GenAI) in supporting creativity within architectural education through the lens of a student-led AI drawing competition. The research addresses two questions: (1) how creative are students' text prompts and the resulting AI-generated images, and is there a relationship between them? and (2) to what extent do students perceive GenAI as a supportive tool in their creative process? Drawing on a mixed-methods approach, the study combines semantic analysis of text prompts, aesthetic evaluation of AI-generated images, and a Creativity Support Index (CSI) survey, complemented by sentiment analysis of student feedback. The semantic analysis reveals varying levels of conceptual richness across prompts, with higher divergence correlating to more open-ended and expressive image results. The CSI data indicates strong support for exploratory and goal-directed creativity, with high scores in exploration and results-worth-effort dimensions. These findings suggest that GenAI can function as both a collaborator and provocateur in design pedagogy, facilitating creative ideation while inviting new pedagogical strategies centred on prompt literacy and reflective design. The study concludes by discussing implications for integrating AI tools into design education, emphasising the pedagogical value of prompt literacy, and calling for further research on creative agency and authorship in hybrid human–AI workflows. • Assesses creativity in AI-generated architectural prompts and images. • Introduces metrics for linguistic and visual creativity in design education. • Uses CSI to evaluate AI's effectiveness in supporting creative workflows. • Student feedback and sentiment analysis confirm strong engagement with AI tools. • Highlights prompt literacy as central to integrating AI in design pedagogy.