Rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have prompted increasing attention to human–AI collaboration across various fields. This study focuses on the architectural design process and examines collaboration with generative AI (GenAI) within the context of architectural education. Creative cognition in design-based learning and the process of collaboration with AI are crucial. Insights on AI usage and design process perceptions are gathered from semi-structured interviews of architecture students. The data were analyzed using primarily inductive thematic analysis to understand their experiences in architectural design education. It aims to construct a conceptual framework to interpret the creative cognition during human–AI collaboration in the architectural design process through algorithmic thinking strategies and existing theories. The literature review acted as the foundation for the theoretical background, adopting existing models and theoretical perspectives to support the conceptual framework generation. The study contributes to human–AI collaboration in architectural design contexts. Additionally, the conceptual framework proposal derived from the empirical insights and relevant literature can serve as the basis for conducting further explorations of a potential model in architectural design education.
Hikmet et al. (2026) studied this question.