Using artificial intelligence in craft education: crafting with text-to-image generative models

Artificial intelligence (AI) and the automation of creative work have received little attention in craft education. This study aimed to address this gap by exploring Finnish pre-service craft teachers’ and teacher educators’ (N = 15) insights into the potential benefits and challenges of AI, particularly text-to-image generative AI. This study implemented a hands-on workshop on creative making with text-to-image generative AI in order to stimulate discourses and capture imaginaries concerning generative AI. The results revealed that making with AI inspired teachers to consider the unique nature of crafts as well as the tensions and tradeoffs of adopting generative AI in craft practices. The teachers identified concerns in data-driven design, including algorithmic bias, copyright violations and black-boxing creativity, as well as in power relationships, hybrid influencing and behaviour engineering. The article concludes with a discussion of the complicated relationships the results uncovered between creative making and generative AI.