Applications of Invisible and Generative Artificial Intelligence in Developing and Assessing Visual Projects in Higher Education

Abstract

The present study examines how teachers in higher education can integrate invisible and generative artificial intelligence (AI) in visual communication classes, with focus on both its transformative potential and unavoidable pedagogical challenges. As AI tools such as Adobe Firefly, Midjourney, and DALL·E have been reshaping design processes, educators are put in the position to rethink the manner in which visual communication is taught, learned, and assessed. With this in mind, we propose a theoretical and pedagogical framework that addresses the complex nature of AI usage in visual communication education. By combining AI integration with educational theories, we believe that our analysis manages to offer an instrument for fostering critical reflection, aesthetic sensitivity, and conceptual clarity among students. The article analyses the importance of maintaining a balance between technological fluency and fundamental design principles. Educators in this field are recommended to nurture creativity, ethical awareness, and originality, while avoiding the over-usage of automated processes. In this regard, we propose an example of an evaluation grid that could be used in assessing AI-assisted design projects, considering factors such as conceptual depth, aesthetic quality, process transparency, and ethical sensitivity. Last, but not least, we suggest that process build on co-creation could enhance, rather than replace, human creativity. We believe this approach could offer future professional communicators the necessary tools to evolve in the intricate landscape of creative industries.