Negotiating Creative Autonomy: Design Students’ Resistance To Ai-Driven Automation In Digital Visual Culture

Athika Dwi Wiji Utami, Rahma Sugihartati Sugihartati

Abstract


The widespread adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in creative fields has created ambivalent dynamics for emerging designers. While some embrace AI as an assistive tool in design production, others reject it, raising ethical, emotional, and professional concerns. This study investigates how resistance to AI is expressed by design students who are in the process of developing their creative identities. Using a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews, this research explores the motivations, experiences, and values of students who intentionally avoid AI in their creative practice. The findings reveal that these students perceive AI-generated works as emotionally detached, overly instant, and lacking the uniqueness of human expression. Their resistance is grounded in aesthetic values, the integrity of the creative process, and anxieties surrounding the shifting role of designers within the contemporary visual culture. Interestingly, despite their critique, participants recognize the educational importance of learning about AI provided it is framed critically and balanced with manual exploration and emotional depth. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how young creatives negotiate authenticity and agency in a rapidly automated cultural environment, and suggests pedagogical approaches that respect both technological literacy and reflective creative practice.

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References


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