Abstract:

The presence and significance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in society is increasing. While its potential benefits are acknowledged, concerns about its impact on society, economy, ethics, and education are also being raised. In particular Text-to-image generators are revolutionizing the creative industries and shaping the future of photography, video editing, and graphic design. Since 2022, a series of tools for generating images from text (Text-to-image generators) have been introduced to the market, including DALL-E2, Midjourney, Stable diffusion, and Bluwillow. Adobe, the American software company known for providing professional digital image manipulation tools, has incorporated these new tools into all Beta versions of their suite. As a result, it is anticipated that there will be a period where these technologies will play a central role in creative works. Consequently, in the face of AI's growing significance, understanding students' perspectives is crucial for shaping education policies and making informed decisions. By acknowledging the potential benefits and challenges of Text-to-image generators, educators and professionals can better prepare for the evolving landscape of creative work and foster an environment that embraces technological advancements while safeguarding artistic integrity.

This paper presents the results of a questionnaire administered to 80 first-year students enrolled in the Photography course for the Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts and the degree in Design at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. The objective of this study was to ascertain the prevailing opinions among those embarking on their university careers, specifically future professionals in the fields of photography, video, and graphic design, regarding image generation systems through text.

The results revealed some predominant patterns. Specifically, 53.6% of the participants express interest in these tools for their professional development. Moreover, they acknowledge a positive impact both in educational settings and in the professional creative field, while also recognizing potential risks concerning copyright infringement, which could pose a threat to the recognition of their own work. In conclusion students appreciate the positive impact of these tools in both educational and creative contexts, envisioning faster and more innovative artistic processes. However, alongside these benefits, there are concerns about copyright issues and the potential threat to individual recognition and ownership of creative work.

In addition to the previously mentioned points, students perceive both society and the artistic community as being ill-prepared to confront the changes that these systems may bring. This results study highlights a significant apprehension about the readiness of society and the artistic community to effectively adapt to the changes brought about by AI-driven image generation systems. This lack of preparedness underlines the importance of fostering for further education, awareness, and discussions within the artistic community to effectively embrace and integrate these technologies to better understand and harness the benefits of these technologies while also addressing and mitigating any potential challenges they might present.

Keywords:

Artificial Intelligence, Text-to-Image Generators, Education, Fine Arts, Creative Industries, Photography, Graphic Design, Perception.