The Creativity Paradox of Generative <scp>AI</scp> in Design Education: How <scp>AI</scp> Literacy and Motivation Reshape Creative Learning

ABSTRACT Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is quickly changing the foundations of design education. It alters how creativity is understood, created and judged in higher education. This issue is especially important in design fields, where creativity involves not just productivity and fast idea generation but also the ability to handle uncertainty, engage in reflective experimentation, and think independently. In this context, the current study examined the relationships among teachers' acceptance of AI, their AI literacy, students' motivation to learn, and creativity in AI‐supported design education at Chinese universities. The research gathered data from randomly sampled teachers and students at 10 universities known for their art and design programmes, which include visual communication, industrial design, digital media, animation and environmental design. This study contributes to the growing research on AI in design education by shifting the focus from celebrating technological advances to a more critical perspective on how humans interact with AI in creative contexts. The findings suggest that AI can both enhance and restrict creativity, depending on how it affects students' independence, cognitive engagement, and motivation. Thus, the future of design education involving AI should not only focus on technological complexity or adoption rates, but also on its ability to maintain human originality, reflective thought, and the uncertainty that is vital to creativity.