The Creativity Paradox of Generative AI in Design Education

How AI Literacy and Motivation Reshape Creative Learning

Bibliographic Data

ID21445890
AuthorsLiang Xianwen (0009-0007-8684-5379, National Image Research Center Shenzhen University Shenzhen China), Xianwen Liang (0000-0002-2774-8647, Shenzhen University), Jiang Diankun (0009-0001-9026-2914, National Image Research Center Shenzhen University Shenzhen China), Endale Tadesse (0000-0002-4128-5992, National Image Research Center Shenzhen University Shenzhen China), Ping Hu (0009-0008-2583-3339, College of Education Zhejiang Normal University Jinhua China, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume61
Issue3
Publication date2026-09-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEuropean Journal of Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0141-8211 • E-ISSN: 1465-3435
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/ejed.70727
OpenAlexW7164537525
LanguageEN
References cited54

Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is quickly changing the foundations of design education. It alters how creativity is understood, created and judged in higher education. This issue is especially important in design fields, where creativity involves not just productivity and fast idea generation but also the ability to handle uncertainty, engage in reflective experimentation, and think independently. In this context, the current study examined the relationships among teachers' acceptance of AI, their AI literacy, students' motivation to learn, and creativity in AI‐supported design education at Chinese universities. The research gathered data from randomly sampled teachers and students at 10 universities known for their art and design programmes, which include visual communication, industrial design, digital media, animation and environmental design. This study contributes to the growing research on AI in design education by shifting the focus from celebrating technological advances to a more critical perspective on how humans interact with AI in creative contexts. The findings suggest that AI can both enhance and restrict creativity, depending on how it affects students' independence, cognitive engagement, and motivation. Thus, the future of design education involving AI should not only focus on technological complexity or adoption rates, but also on its ability to maintain human originality, reflective thought, and the uncertainty that is vital to creativity

Animation · Creativity · Design education · Generative grammar · Higher education · Instructional design · Literacy · Perspective (graphical) · Productivity · Aesthetic Perception and Analysis · Creativity in Education and Neuroscience · Design Education and Practice

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