Pedagogy 2025

Abstract

The classroom has long been a space where questions of art, identity, and authorship are debated. With the emergence of generative AI, those debates are no longer theoretical—they are happening in real time. This study examines how artists, educators, and students perceive authorship and authenticity when human artworks are progressively transformed through artificial intelligence. Framed through the philosophical paradox of the Ship of Theseus, it explores whether an artwork remains “the same” as its material form is replaced by machine generation. Using four versions of Van Gogh’s Starry Night, each modified by generative AI models such as Stable Diffusion and DALL·E 3, 202 participants rated the images on authorship, authenticity, emotional resonance, and visual appeal. Results revealed a steep decline in perceived authorship and authenticity after 50% AI intervention, though aesthetic enjoyment remained stable. Students often emphasized conceptual continuity—the persistence of the artist’s idea—while professionals linked authorship to embodied skill and process. These differences highlight a shifting pedagogical moment. As AI becomes both a medium and a collaborator, educators must reconsider how creativity is taught and assessed. The Ship of GPT offers a framework for rethinking authorship in design education—moving from manual execution toward conceptual authorship, ethical prompt craft, and reflective engagement with the technologies that now share the studio.