October 2, 2025Open Access

Exploring creativity in human–AI co-creation: a comparative study across design experience

NWNan WangShenyang Agricultural University HKHyunsuk KimHongik University JPJianping PengFoshan University

Key Points

Human–AI co-creation significantly improves creative performance compared to traditional methods, and shows promise in collaborative design.
The study revealed that the Human–AI Co-Creative Design Process effectively facilitates idea generation among novice designers and refines outputs for experienced ones.
Evaluated using a comparative experimental design, the Human–AI Co-Creative Design Process demonstrated marked benefits in creative outcomes across different experience levels.
Findings indicate that while the Human–AI model reduces barriers to participation, the experience level of designers still heavily influences creative output.

Abstract

As generative artificial intelligence (GAI) becomes increasingly integrated into the design domain, research has begun to explore how it can be meaningfully incorporated into traditional design practices, fostering the development of more collaborative design processes. This study proposes a Human–AI Co-Creative Design Process (HAI-CDP) model and evaluates its impact on designers’ creativity through a comparative experimental design. The results indicate that the HAI-CDP substantially improves creative performance over the traditional design process. For novice designers, its primary value lies in facilitating idea generation, whereas for experienced designers, it contributes more to elevating the quality and refinement of creative outcomes. Although the Human–AI Co-Creative Design Process lowers the entry barrier to creative engagement, the findings also reaffirm that design experience remains a critical factor shaping creative output.

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