From Clay to Code: Artificial Intelligence and the Reinvention of İznik Tile Motifs

This study comprehensively explores how artificial intelligence (AI) technologies can be used to reinterpret and digitally reconstruct traditional Turkish art, with a particular focus on 16th-century Iznik tiles. By bringing together various disciplines such as design, computational creativity, and cultural heritage preservation, the research evaluates the capacity of generative AI tools (e.g., DALL-E, Firefly, Prome AI) to reproduce, reinterpret, and visualize historical tile motifs. The study not only conducts technical experiments but also critically addresses ethical issues such as originality, authorship, and cultural appropriation arising from the use of these tools. The conceptual background examines how AI-generated visuals transform the symbolic meaning of traditional art forms and how this transformation opens the door to new aesthetic and cultural debates. In this context, the digital reproduction of traditional art is evaluated not merely as a visual transfer, but as a redefinition of meaning, context, and cultural continuity. Methodologically, the study combines descriptive visual analysis on multiple digital platforms with prompt-based image generation processes, thereby establishing a research model that is both qualitative and experimental. The research findings show that AI tools can offer a high level of visual fluency and aesthetic diversity, but in most cases lack cultural depth, historical contextual knowledge, and an understanding of local aesthetic values. While this highlights the instrumental value of AI in cultural heritage projects, it also underscores the continued indispensability of human expertise. By building a bridge between contemporary computational tools and traditional visual culture, the study makes a meaningful contribution to the evolving literature on the relationship between AI and art. In addition, it proposes applicable models for how AI-assisted heritage reinterpretation can be integrated into public engagement strategies for museums, educators, and cultural institutions. These models encompass a wide range of applications, from exhibition design to digital archiving, from educational materials to interactive cultural experiences. Thus, the study offers an innovative perspective on the preservation and reinterpretation of cultural heritage in the digital age, both in theoretical and practical dimensions.