Changes in an Art Educator’s Perceptions of Creativity through Interaction with Generative AI: An Autoethnographic Inquiry

Abstract

This study explored how an art educator’s perception of creativity changed through experiences with generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) using an autoethnographic approach. As generative AI raises new questions about creativity in art education, the researcher’s perceptual shifts through repeated interactions with AI were examined from a posthumanist perspective. The findings revealed that the researcher initially experienced unfamiliarity and tension because generative AI differed from an understanding of creativity grounded in bodily experience and making processes. However, repeated engagement revealed that generative AI also involves selection, revision, and interpretation, prompting reflection on previously held creative values. Based on experiences with young learners, the researcher further recognized creativity as a process centered on sensory experience and expression rather than outcomes. Thus, generative AI was understood not as a substitute for expressive experience but as a supplementary tool for extending sensory and creative experiences. Rather than viewing generative AI simply as positive or negative, this study interprets it as an opportunity for art educators to reconsider creativity and educational perspectives, highlighting the relationship between human sensory experience and technology in contemporary art education.