Exploring the Impact of AI-generated Image Tools on Professional and Non-professional Users in the Art and Design Fields

The rapid proliferation of AI-generated image tools is transforming the art and design fields, challenging traditional notions of creativity and impacting both professional and non-professional users. For this paper, we define "professional users" as individuals who self-identified in our survey as “artists,” “designers,” “filmmakers,” or “art and design students,” and "non-professional users" as individuals who self-identified as “others.” This study explores how AI-generated image tools influence these different user groups. Through an online survey (N=380) comprising 173 professional users and 207 non-professional users, we examine differences in the utilization of AI tools, user satisfaction and challenges, applications in creative processes, perceptions and impacts, and acceptance levels. Our findings indicate persistent concerns about image quality, cost, and copyright issues. Additionally, the usage patterns of non-professional users suggest that AI tools have the potential to democratize creative processes, making art and design tasks more accessible to individuals without traditional expertise. This study provides insights into the needs of different user groups and offers recommendations for developing more user-centered AI tools, contributing to the broader discussion on the future of AI in the art and design fields.