AI-assisted and human-driven food packaging design: Consumer perceptions of creativity and cultural communication in a GI rambutan beverage

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly embedded in food-related design practices, its role in shaping culturally meaningful packaging remains insufficiently understood. This study explores differences in perceived creativity and communicative effectiveness between human-designed and AI-generated packaging for a healthy beverage derived from Thong Pha Phum GI rambutan, a product strongly associated with regional identity and geographical indication (GI) value. A mixed-methods design approach was employed in two phases. In phase 1, consumer preferences for key packaging attributes were collected and translated into standardized design briefs for both professional designers and an AI-based design system. In phase 2, consumer evaluations of multiple packaging prototypes were conducted to assess perceived creativity, visual communication effectiveness, product acceptance and purchase-related responses. The findings indicate that human-designed packaging more effectively conveyed cultural meaning, visual coherence and emotional engagement, while AI-generated designs demonstrated limitations in expressing culturally grounded narratives and symbolic authenticity. Nevertheless, AI showed potential value as a supportive tool during early-stage ideation and structural exploration. This study contributes to food design research by highlighting the complementary roles of human creativity and AI-assisted processes, and by proposing a hybrid human–AI framework to support culturally sensitive food packaging development.