Understanding User Perceptions and the Role of AI Image Generators in Image Creation Workflows

The emergence of AI Image Generators (AIGs) has transformed image creation, making it more accessible to generate customized images from simple text prompts. While HCI research has explored the applications of text-to-image generation, the role of AIGs in visual content creation workflow remains relatively underexplored. To address this, we conducted in-depth interviews with 26 end users who had experience across 14 different AIGs and investigated users’ adoption and perceptions of AIGs and AI’s role throughout the entire workflow. Key factors examined include user goals, initial vision, tool integration, and decision-making. Our results indicated that functional goals often drive cross-tool integration to achieve desired outcomes, while in use cases motivated by recreational goals, the usage of AIGs influences the social implications of image sharing. We concluded with four distinct use cases, each highlighting how AIGs are integrated at different stages of the creative process based on varying user goals and visions.