AI-Assisted Creativity Support for Persona Creation Tools

Creativity is both a crucial and complex experiential process, valued not only for its outcomes but also for the ideation journey (O'Toole, 2024). With the increasing adoption of generative AI technologies, such as AI image generators, studies have shown that these tools can lead to fixation on initial examples, limiting idea diversity and originality (Wadinambiarachchi et al., 2024). To address this, designers must learn to identify and reflect on such fixation to enhance creative collaboration with AI. This study investigates how AI-assisted tools, through interface design and interactive features, can better support the creativity of design students in persona creation. The research employs an experimental design involving task tests with two types of AI-assisted persona creation tools. Evaluations using the Creativity Support Index (Cherry et al., 2014) and post-task interviews provide insights into user experience and creativity performance. Preliminary results indicate that both tools effectively support exploratory creativity, with participants viewing AI as a collaborative assistant rather than a dominant force. Additionally, the findings highlight distinct AI support needs across different stages of the creative process, such as inspiration generation in early ideation and refinement support in later stages. This study emphasizes the importance of designing AI tools that address diverse user needs and align with the phased nature of the creative process. The results contribute to design education by offering new perspectives on AI’s role in creativity and provide practical implications for developing AI-assisted tools that foster innovative workflows.